Police officers taking governor to court over ‘very intrusive’ vetting process
According to reports reaching our News Centre, the PWA has applied to the High Court for an injunction against the process until the concerns of officers are adequately addressed.
The application was filed on June 2, 2025.
Police ‘not subjecting themselves to this vetting process’
The police are now saying it is unconstitutional, and they are not subjecting themselves to this vetting process.
“They want to know everything about their finances, their spouse, their significant others, very intrusive, and the police claimed that ‘nope, they ain't going through it’. They are not going to subject themselves to it, and they filed a case against the Governor to prevent that, to block that, to put an injunction to stop them from vetting police officers,” a police source informed our News Centre.
The PWA has claimed that the Police Amendment Regulations (2024 and 2025), which allow for the implementation of the vetting process, did not address the concerns expressed to the Governor, and all officers subjected to the amendments were to comply with the requirements by May 30, 2025, or face disciplinary actions.
“The 2024 and 2025 Regulations claim that the personal data will be protected by the regime under the Data Protection Act ('DPA'). The DPA does provide for receiving complaints, investigation and monitoring of persons who collect personal data. However, the performance of these functions ought to be the remit of the Information Commissioner and his staff. There have been no appointments made to this office. It has no budgetary vote. The office is non-functioning,” the PWA affidavits filed in court stated.
Governor ‘may almost always be a judge in his own cause’
Further, the PWA stated that the Police Amendment Regulations centralise authority and much initial activity in the Defendant [Governor] to act as complainant and investigator, when by statute, he is also to play an appellate role in final decision-making.
“This will create a situation where the Defendant may almost always be a judge in his own cause, and therefore leading to him recusing himself and exacerbating the need for the proper functioning of the POSC [Police Service Commission].”
Violation of fundamental rights
PWA President McCall confirmed to our News Centre that the PWA has sought legal action.
“As an association, it is our position that the amendment to the Police Regulations of 2025 and the intrusive nature of the vetting is a violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms granted to everyone under the Constitution. Therefore, the Police Welfare Association has sought legal advice and we are so guided,” Mr McCall told our News Centre today, June 3, 2025.
Vetting process ‘very intrusive’
Acting Commissioner of Police Ms Jacqueline E. Vanterpool, in an interview with JTV Channel 55 on May 9, 2025, said the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) fully supports vetting of its officers and that “it must be done.”
She added, however, that while it is a pivotal step for the RVIPF, officers are not “at a place of comfort” when it comes to the process.
“As I said, we have no problem with it, but the vetting form, it is very intrusive, very intrusive, in terms of the information that we have to disseminate on the form that is being asked.”
As it pertains to officers seeking legal advice, Ms Vanterpool had said they can seek legal recourse to “get a better legal perspective of it”, however; she added that it “it doesn’t change that fact that as an organisation, we have an obligation to fulfill the role of being vetted because we must be vetted.”
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44 Responses to “Police officers taking governor to court over ‘very intrusive’ vetting process”
If you have something to hide you are not suitable to apply as a Police Officer.
If you have something to hide that vetting will find you need to resign. We don't want you in the Police force.
See how that works.
Let's clean things up, get the corrupt guys out of DMV and get drugs and guns and those up to no good out of these vehicles.
Vi finally looking in the right direction here.
To become a member of the system of justice in the UK and it's OT's every person must submit their entire life from DOB to today including all their information about family members, education, medical history, financial history, criminal and civil records, employment history, etc. AND at least a dozen quality references from persons NOT related to the applicant.
The police are now saying it is unconstitutional, and they are not subjecting themselves to this vetting process."
Ah.
Vetting checks
We will carry out internal and external vetting checks on you and your spouse/partner, members of your family including step brothers and sisters, and half brothers and sisters. We will also check your partner's children if they are over ten years and any other adults who reside at your address.
Financial checks will also be carried out on all candidates. Those with outstanding County Court Judgements (CCJs), Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVAs) or who have been registered bankrupt will be rejected. If you have discharged bankruptcy debts, you will need verification from the court of this and three years must have lapsed since the date of discharge.
Why didn’t one of the officers give VINO a copy of the vetting form to put in the public?
If it was out there for you all to see how the officers are asked to get naked for examination, it’s only then lots of you will be blogging different.
We need to family members names, addresses, if your behind on bills etc. if you don’t like it don’t sign up simple.