Who is in charge of the RVIPF, is the Deputy too powerful?
Efforts by some Police Officers to address these vexing issues through internal meetings and the Police Welfare Association have not borne fruits.
Who is in charge?
Sources inside the RVIPF told VINO that there is a rift between black officers vs white and local officers vs expatriate officers which has affected the moral, and team working relationship of the organization.
For example, according to sources, the Deputy Commissioner of Police David Morris is said to have all the power with allegedly everyone in the organization reporting to him.
One senior officer told VINO that it “seems like Commissioner Reynell Frazer is useless and none existent”.
“Could you imagine an organisation where when you go to the Commissioner on matters that he should address he sends you to the Deputy Commissioner? another officer told VINO.
Is race a factor?
According to information reaching VINO from officers who were at meetings,they have alleged that there might be subtle discrimination, as in a few meetings, Deputy Commissioner Morris had allegedly said that he needs the United Kingdom Officers as the local police officers do not “have the skills and capabilities like his UK officers”.
One officer further told VINO that Mr. Morris is always pushing a Nigel Nivens, a UK officer who is the Senior Investigative Officer, and telling the other local officers of Mr. Nivens’ alleged police skills that no other local officers have to investigate crime. However, another police officer told VINO when crime occurs at night ‘we never see Nigel but he is the SIO”.
Another issue that is causing low moral in the force, especially amongst middle and senior management, is the lack of promotion. According to inside sources, the three UK police officers who are all contract officers have been assigned to established post within the RVIPF. This means during their contractual time other officers cannot be promoted as the post is filled by them.
It has been also reported to VINO that the UK Police officers are allegedly being paid more than the other Police officers who may be senior to them with the Deputy Commissioner of Police being paid more than the Commissioner, after his perks are added in. Mr. Morris is expected to report directly to Commissioner Frazer in the current Police structure.
Sources inside the RVIPF have also told VINO that one or two of the alleged high paid UK police officers have also traveled overseas to take up courses and short training while here to up-grade their skills, however, it is unclear if this cost was paid for by government.
One of the reasons why these officers were recruited was because they had the skills necessary to assist the Virgin Islands (VI) in reducing crime. Another local officer claimed that Mr. Morris is pushing to have more UK officers return to the RVIPF to take up many of the senior positions, a move that is opposed by many of the local officers, and senior management.
UK officers doing a good job-Reynell Frazer
Despite the criticisms from local officers on how they view the UK officers, Commissioner of Police Frazer told the 2010 Standing Finance Committee meeting in the VI Parliament that, each UK officer brought their different expertise for the different areas within the force. Mr. Frazer stated that an inspector and a sergeant looked into the cold case murder as well as provided training and mentored local officers.
He further stated that another sergeant was working in the Financial Investigation unit and they worked closely with the Attorney General’s Chambers and this was still ongoing. He added that another sergeant and constable worked with the intelligence area and also provided training and mentored the local officers. The VI’s second local Commissioner of Police Frazer further stated that the UK Officers had delivered and they had an impact on the local officers that worked closely with them and he appreciated what they have delivered thus far.
Notwithstanding the Commissioner’s view, high racking local officers within the RVIPF have differed with his assessment. Statistics were not available to demonstrate whether crime has been reduced or murders solved since the arrival of the UK police officers some two years ago.
No local fit to be Deputy Commissioner
The local Police moral was further damaged around 2010 when the controversially appointed former United Kingdom (UK) Governor David Pearey and Premier Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, said publicly that at that time, there were no qualified Police officers to fill the Deputy Commissioner’s post. Following that, Mr. Pearey announced in March of last year the appointment of Mr. Morris, a Caucasian UK officer as the VI’s Deputy Commissioner on a three-year contract.
The statement by Pearey and O’Neal has been blasted by former top cop now politician Honourable Vernon E. Malone who disagreed with the statement and maintained that there are locals in the force who can fill the post of Deputy Commissioner. It remains unclear whether that was the position of the current Police Commissioner.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner of Police and the Deputy Commissioner to solicit their comments on the current vexing issues within their organization as described by current Police officers were futile up to the time of this publication.
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