New CoP Michael ‘Mick’ Matthews expected in April 2016
The announcement came yesterday, January 20, 2016 via a press release sent out by the Department of Information.
“Governor John S. Duncan, OBE, acting in accordance with Sections 97(1) and 97(2) of the Virgin Islands Constitution, following the recommendation of the Virgin Islands Police Service Commission and advice of the National Security Council, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Michael Matthews as Police Commissioner of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).”
It further said Mr Mathews is currently Chief Constable of the Cyprus Sovereign Base Area (SBA) Police Force.
“The SBA is a British Overseas Territory and Mr Matthews is expected to come directly from that position to take up the post of RVIPF Commissioner in mid April 2016.”
Did Governor Duncan mislead the public?
Speaking on the JTV Channel 55 show Spotlight with host Cromwell Smith aka Edju En ka on Tuesday January 12, 2016, Governor Duncan implied that a new Commissioner of Police (CoP) has been identified and that he was not coming from the United Kingdom.
“I hope that we are well underway to getting a good Commissioner who will come in and help build that capacity,” Mr Duncan said in referring to the issue of security in the Virgin Islands.
Asked how close he was to getting a Commissioner of Police, Governor Duncan said: “Well, I hope to see this man coming within a matter of a few months.”
Asked by Mr Smith whether the person would be coming from the UK, Governor Duncan said: “Actually not from the UK but his nationality will be revealed in the fullness of time.”
There have been questions from sections of the public as to why a local police officer or someone from the Caribbean region was not considered for the post, especially since there have been rants about economic racism plaguing the RVIPF.
Virgin Islands News Online had accurately reported on January 19, 2016 that a UK national was likely to be the CoP, despite what the public was led to believe.
About Michael ‘Mick’ Matthews
According to our research, Mr Matthews was born in Erith, Kent, and has been a serving police officer for more than 30 years.
He has an active twitter account on which he consistently updates the public on developments pertaining to his police work and that of his department. On one of his posts he stated his idol was the late David Bowie.
The former ‘butcher boy’ told a UK news magazine in 2012 that his hero is Sir Richard C.N. Branson, “because he is probably one of the UK's greatest entrepreneurs. He is a fantastic business role model, an innovative and creative individual who is passionate about whatever he takes on and is prepared to fight his competition. He also discovered and signed some of my favourite bands.”
According to the Department of Information, Mr Matthews began his police career in 1982 and brings a wide range of strategic and operational policing experience to his new role. He was Chief Constable of the Gloucestershire Constabulary prior to his appointment in Cyprus.
Mr Matthews was awarded the Queens Police Medal for distinguished service in the New Years Honours list of 2013.
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42 Responses to “New CoP Michael ‘Mick’ Matthews expected in April 2016”
As to your other points;
- Why do you think most people move here? It's because of the sailing, sun etc. Of course he will enjoy those and why shouldn't he? What are his contracted hours - 40 a week? What he does with the rest of his time is up to him!
- Substantial unsolved crimes - only the local populace can help solve those. Without their help, you could bring in the best detectives in the world and still not solve the crimes.
es ,who can?
ducan is a dam l**r
We to quick to pass mouth-gas... smh
Will a better or different CoP lead to a decrease in crime?