‘Some officers have big mouths & will not keep things confidential’ – CoP Matthews
This is according to Michael B. Matthews, Commissioner of Police (CoP), on Stay Woke aired on ZBVI 780 AM on Saturday, March 3, 2018. The host of the show, which addressed the rampant gun violence in the territory, was Zoe J. Walcott-McMillan, Mrs BVI 2017.
Commissioner Matthews stated that two years ago, when he became the Commissioner of Police, he was told that persons have had bad experiences with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) when giving confidential information.
He disclosed that it is something that he is working to improve so as to reassure persons that their information will be kept confidential, adding that the intelligence team was carefully selected.
“We are working very hard on that to make sure people understand that we are called the RVIPF. We are a service and we should be providing a service that comes with integrity and provides confidence to them,” said the commissioner.
He further expressed that the head of the RVIPF intelligence team is a UK national with no connection to the territory or the people, so he can be trusted to keep information confidential.
“The police service here did not create this society”
Meanwhile, the commissioner believes that it is his officer’s responsibility to enforce the laws within the society rather than solely being blamed for what is taking place in the territory.
“The police service here did not create this society. We are charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws in this society. My question is what are you the society going to do about the society you’ve created here because it seems acceptable that serious crimes are going to happen that people know about and they know where the guns are hidden,” emphasised Commissioner Matthews.
He lamented on an incident where a guy expressed to him that he was advising his nephew that the crime in the territory is getting dangerous and the guy said his nephew showed him a gun and the commissioner said the guy brushed it off as if it was normal.
The UK national pointed out that he feels sorry for the territory if that’s the type of society that is being built, where having a gun is acceptable.
He said, “If people are prepared to accept that’s ok and if that’s the society you build, well I feel sorry for you because, to me, that’s always going to be unacceptable.”
“Security & borders should have been the conversation on day one”
The commissioner pointed out that before the hurricane the territory’s borders were “porous” and believes that it got worse after the hurricane, which is now a contributing factor to the recent gun violence, while adding that it is difficult to rebuild the police force and secure the borders at the same time.
“It’s very, very difficult when you are trying to rebuild the police force and the security of your borders at the same time and so we are in the juggling act,” said the commissioner.
He continued, “We are six months on and for me, security and our borders should have been the conversation on day one, not six months down the line.”
.png)
.png)
.png)
Follow Us On
31 Responses to “‘Some officers have big mouths & will not keep things confidential’ – CoP Matthews”
He further expressed that the head of the RVIPF intelligence team is a UK national with no connection to the territory or the people, so he can be trusted to keep information confidential".
Something does not add up!
We need to get rid of YOU... YOU aren't for the people of the VI...Crime will continue to rise under his and the Govt of the day watch because in his opinion we have a rotten society and our govt in incompetent or don't care . Ask the commissioner if he would report on his family member or advise them to do better. Ask him if our society is the only society that functions in this way, where family and true friends find it hard to report on people they care about.
Do your job and do good police work, I'm sure there are laws on the books that make this possible.
He is quick to pass the blame, he has one foot out of the door call responsibility!!!