Former Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Dariel D. Robinson has been reverted to his substantive position as Supervisor of Operations effective November 18, 2025. Photo: Team of Reporters

It is alleged that Ms Jacqueline E. Vanterpool refused to go along with the divisive and racist agenda of the United Kingdom, hence why Governor Daniel Pruce removed her as Acting Commissioner of Police. Photo: RVIPF

Governor Daniel Pruce has been accused of not wanting a local to head the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force. Photo: Facebook

Now that Mr Pruce has handpicked a shady character rejected by the Police Service Commission (PoSC) to hold the post of interim Commissioner of Police, in Richard Ullger, a move Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) said will “kill morale in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force” (RVIPF), he has not stopped there.

No room in the RVIPF for locals

Besides pushing out qualified Jacqueline E. Vanterpool, the recommendation of the PoSC for the Commissioner of Police (CoP) post and reverting her to Deputy Commissioner, Mr Pruce has also pushed out another local.

This time it's Dariel D. Robinson, who was, until November 18, 2025, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Officer Robinson, a Virgin Islander, is now back to his substantive post of Superintendent of Operations. This means the issue of succession planning does not exist in the RVIPF, and Mr Pruce believes that only United Kingdom (UK) nationals can run the force. In the past, there have been two local CoPs who performed extraordinarily while in the post. 

Despite Mr Ullger's controversial history, Mr Pruce still recommended him and stated that he had been cleared of all the alleged wrongdoings. Many residents see this as a double standard, as Comptroller of Customs Mr Wade W. Smith has also been cleared of all wrongdoing in a court of law in the Virgin Islands, but still has not returned to his post.

Double standards; one for whites, one for blacks

Many public officers have been sent on leave for years over less damning allegations than those against Mr Ullger. One example is Ms Najah Christopher, who has been off her job (charged) for over three years for simply writing a letter stating that former Premier Andrew A. Fahie was Head of Government at the time of his arrest in 2022 and should have been considered for diplomatic immunity.

A lower court has already tossed out the erroneous case against Ms Christopher that has no merit, but the Governor, it’s alleged, has ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal.

Many residents are fearful that Mr Ullger will continue the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) driven witch–hunt of residents who speak out for justice, against double standards and for upholding the rule of law. It is believed that Ms Vanterpool refused to go along with that divisive and racist agenda, that was why Mr Pruce removed her.

Following the CoI, many innocent residents, social activists and persons in the media were arrested and charged to bring credibility to a UK narrative that all residents are corrupt and only the UK could save the Territory.

Thus far, all the cases have failed and have been tossed out for lack of evidence, including the holding of a lady for human trafficking. She is now suing the Crown after the UK police officers dropped the case. VI taxpayers will have to foot the bill for all the lawsuits and for false arrests and charges, as the UK police officers are immune from being sued.