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Focus on recruiting more locals into RVIPF- Doug Wheatley

The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) is to get an additional 30 officers; 20 of whom will be persons born or raised in the Territory and ten will be recruited from overseas to bring immediate needed skills to the force. Photo: VINO/File
Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith addressing officers and staff of the RVIPF on August 25, 2016. Photo: GIS
Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith addressing officers and staff of the RVIPF on August 25, 2016. Photo: GIS
Doug Wheatley wants more locals recruited into the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF). Photo: VINO/File
Doug Wheatley wants more locals recruited into the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF). Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Radio talk show host Doug Wheatley is urging Police Commissioner Mr Michael ‘Mick’ Matthews, to focus on getting more locals into the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) rather than just increasing the numbers.

Late last month, Premier and Finance Minister, Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith, during an address to the force, said the government will support the recruitment of an additional 30 officers.

Commissioner Matthews said Government’s support will go towards recruiting an additional 30 officers; 20 of whom will be persons born or raised in the territory and ten will be recruited from overseas to bring immediate needed skills to the force. Government is also providing the funding for the training of the 20 new officers.

Focus on recruiting locals

“I have some little difficulty with that. I think in law enforcement it is important to have as many local persons as possible,” Mr Wheatley said on the 3D Show on ZBVI 780 AM on Friday, September 2, 2016.

He also noted that he believes the territory does not want a predominance of officers from the other islands, explaining that locals will be more prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country than the outsider.

“So I would like to see my Commissioner try to recruit as many of the officers that he thinks he can locally and not just rushing to get numbers in order to say our complement is 230. It’s not just a matter of numbers, we have to be very, very careful in the selection of persons that we get to fill these positions,” Mr Wheatley remarked.

Premier Smith, in an address to officers and staff of the RVIPF on August 25, 2016 said this support will come in the form of the recruitment of additional officers to bring the force up to the full complement of officers to improve the efficiency of the service; strengthening of the current training programme; and the addition of vehicles to the current fleet.

“As the Premier and Minister of Finance, I am definitely in support of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and the other enforcement agencies like the Immigration and Customs Department in doing what they have to, and continuing to make the BVI even safer,” Premier Smith said.

7 Responses to “Focus on recruiting more locals into RVIPF- Doug Wheatley”

  • Xxx (04/09/2016, 12:06) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    Locals please they could not give a damm about locals
  • Just Curious (04/09/2016, 13:33) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    I Commissioner said they need thirty officers. Twenty local or persons raised here and ten outsiders. If my maths is correct that shows a 66.66% of local or persons raised her so I am not sure what Mr. Wheatlly is trying to say. Having said that, it is a known facts that BVIslanders do not have must interest in joining the force. If they were, the RVIPF would have gotten the allotted quota. Be as it may, the RVIPF is short and if it means we have to get outsiders to join and make nature's little secret safe, then we need to just do what we have to do.
  • Read between the lines (04/09/2016, 13:39) Like (2) Dislike (7) Reply
    the new commissioner saying all the right things but we must keep an eye on him
    • Manabouttown (04/09/2016, 19:55) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      Read between the lines you keep an eye on yourself and allow the Commissioner to carry out his function. I will keep an eye on you for if you think you bad continue to interfere with him. I advise you to back off.
  • wellsa (04/09/2016, 14:58) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    Do you really see any locals that want to be in the force, its only few. The outsiders would want it more to leave their homeland for u.s currency. When they get in its more dead weight crooked cops we have to deal with.
  • i from here (04/09/2016, 17:20) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
    but even when the locals get in there they chase them out
  • Outlaw (04/09/2016, 22:21) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Wheatley, please gather all the locals that have a very keen interest in joining the force and take then to sign up and I don't mean any and every local, as I said keen interest and also not just for the money


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