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UPDATE: Police say 4 officers interdicted from duty
“Four officers from the Royal Virgin Island Police Force have been interdicted from duty by the Commissioner of Police David Morris pending the outcome of investigations into an allegation of corruption,” said a press release from the Police Public Relations Officer Diane Drayton today.
“These officers have been on leave while approval was sought from his Excellency the Governor through the Police Service Commission for their interdiction,” it said.
“In accordance with the RVIPF policy, the names of the officers will not be released and no further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing,” the release said.
This news site had put the question to Governor John S. Duncan through his office as to whether he was in receipt of the petition sent in by the Police Welfare Association and what actions he intended to take.
When this news site made inquiries to the Governor’s Office today we were told that he would be available to be interviewed in the new week.
See previous story published on August 28, 2014:
New Governor petitioned over alleged Police Corruption
-Over 50% of all ranks of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force via the Police Welfare Association signed Petition to Governor
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Sources within the National Democratic Party (NDP) and this news site’s well placed sources within the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) have today August 28, 2014 confirmed that a petition signed by over 50 percent of all ranks of the Police Force has been dropped off at Government House.
The petition which this news site’s NDP sources also confirmed was copied to the controversial Commissioner of Police David Morris and to the Police Service Commission called for the Governor John S. Duncan OBE, to appoint an independent investigator to address alleged corruption within the Police Force.
The newly appointed United Kingdom Governor seemed to have his hands filled having to also address a request by the Opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP) for a Commission of Inquiry into the Ports Development Project. It is this news sites’ understanding that Governor Duncan told a handpicked group of media houses that the allegations submitted by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in their report are “serious” and he will have an answer for the Opposition before year end.
The RVIPF for the past three years particularly, under UK national David Morris has seen low morale, his officers taking him to court over alleged violations of their rights, more police officers coming forward with internal information and a rift between the white UK officers and the blacks and the Caribbean officers and locals.
When Mr. Morris came to the post of Commissioner of Police he claimed that he would root out the “undesirables” in the force, however to date it is unclear whether this was achieved.
According to this news site well placed sources within both the ruling government and the Police Force no specific area of alleged corruption was cited in the petition to the governor.
The Police Welfare Association under the leadership of Sergeant Hendrickson Williams has also been battling the top police brass of the Force on a number of issues and has been keeping Commissioner Morris' feet to the fire.
It is believed that the rift in the RVIPF is growing deeper and many are questioning whether a UK national understands the social and cultural dynamics of running a force made up of 95 percent men and women of African descent.
It remains unclear if the new Governor had sight of the petition. When his office was called, staff there said that they would be finding out and would have been getting back to this news site. However up to post time there was no further word from the Governor’s office.
When the office of the Commissioner of Police was contacted, this news site was directed to the office of the Police Public Relations Officer Carl Mason, who told this news site that he was preparing a response to the Petition but was not prepared to give a comment to this news site.
Morris has continued to advise the Government of the day that crime is down while others disagree with his analysis including the Opposition in Parliament.
It remains unknown if detailed statistics have been forthcoming as to the areas where Mr. Morris claims that crime has dropped or the years in comparison. Many ordinary residents feel strongly that crime is on the rise in the Overseas Territory and the business community is reported to be feeling the brunt of it.
It is unclear with the closure of a police station on the western end of Tortola, how that has affected crime fighting strategies and crime in general.
Currently, there remain over 10 unsolved murders in the Virgin Islands with a population of less than 40 thousand people.
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61 Responses to “UPDATE: Police say 4 officers interdicted from duty”
It all depend on who m..ris fren dem is
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So these 50%+ are the good guys then, they trying to say they not corrupt? I take it that they adhere to rules, policies & follow everything by the book rite? Oh ok, well I just saw a unicorn hanging out with a leprechaun sipping tea with kermit.
Morris better take Sergeant Williams to be his Legal adviser..
in relation to any question of discipline.....
Morris better add another one to he list
"So these 50%+ are the good guys then, they trying to say they not corrupt? I take it that they adhere to rules, policies & follow everything by the book rite?"
I didn't think so either....those that beat their spouses, abuse their children, sleep with each other, sleep with each other's spouses, commit traffic offenses, drink while on duty and in uniform, inform their friends when there is a report against them, divulge sensitive information, don't pay their rent, don't pay their bills in general, don't support their children: all of that is corruption too! Doesn't anyone think of it that way? We see them in the Public everyday. Now I wish the governor would investigate all of them, the whole RVIPF, and send home any body who falls into any category. Call them in one by one. The BVI would be left without a force.
Since there was no specific area of alleged corruption listed in the petition, then my dear governor, please start with those who are petitioning you. Just light a candle to them and see what is burning there. Thank you.
I wrote a statement and took it to the inspector that was responsible for the division. I told him of the constable's unwillingness to do his job (apparently because of who was involved.) The inspector agreed (or at least so I thought,) he took the document from me and I have never heard from him again. That was about eight months ago. If that isn't corruption in the highest ranks, then tell me what is.
for the interest of justice and it is unfair to each accuse