Police Commissioner Verne Garde has signalled an intensified fight against crime, declaring that the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) will confront offenders, target criminal assets and expand operations as he marks two years at the helm of the organisation.
Reflecting on his tenure, Garde pointed to sweeping changes in policing structures, recruitment, training, specialised units and operational capacity, while acknowledging that Saint Lucia continues to grapple with a deeply entrenched crime problem.
The Commissioner made it clear that the next phase will include a more aggressive approach towards people driving criminal activity, saying he has already made pronouncements regarding the forfeiture of assets and has put “persons in conflict with the law on guard.”
Garde said he was unwilling to allow criminals to make Saint Lucia less comfortable for residents and visitors, warning that he intends to confront those who “run awry and do papi show in this country.” I’ve started already and we’re going to take control of this country by the hook or by the crook,” the Commissioner declared.
But Garde acknowledged that policing alone cannot produce an immediate reversal of a crime problem that has developed over decades. He argued that “it took us more than 25 years to get this way” and therefore the situation cannot realistically be corrected within two years.
Still, the Commissioner expressed confidence that significant progress can be made over the next year and a half as the RSLPF rolls out further operations.
His comments came as he reflected on what he described as a milestone marking two years with the organisation, saying the period has been characterised by efforts to remain faithful to the Force’s strategic direction and embrace a multi-sectoral approach to police management.
That approach, according to Garde, has included strengthening partnerships both regionally and internationally while restructuring several areas of the RSLPF.
Among the changes has been the transition from general traffic management to the Department of Road Safety and Traffic Investigations.
Community policing has also undergone restructuring. Garde said the Force has moved away from a previously disaggregated community policing system towards a team operating across the length and breadth of the organisation under the leadership of Inspector Algodel.
Another major shift has been the transformation of the Drug Squad into the Guns, Narcotics and Firearms Unit (GNFU), giving the specialised unit a broader operational scope.
The RSLPF has also invested in expanding its canine capabilities. Garde said the organisation has progressed from having a K9 unit in which a single canine was housed under what he described as arbitrary conditions to the construction of a more sophisticated canine facility at the Police Training School. He reported that the facility is approximately 90 per cent complete.
A longstanding effort to strengthen the Force’s maritime presence in Soufriere is also moving forward.
According to Garde, attempts had been made for several years to establish a marine substation in the community without success. However, he reported that the structure for the marine base is now ready, clearing the way for the deployment of 15 personnel to Soufriere to support policing within the maritime environment.
Training and recruitment have also featured heavily during the two-year period.
Garde described the Force’s training programme as extensive, with officers benefiting from programmes provided by international partners as well as regional training, including collaboration with the Regional Security System (RSS).
Recruitment has meanwhile continued as the RSLPF seeks to strengthen its human resources. The Commissioner said the organisation has conducted two recruitment courses and three Special Police Constable courses and is now moving into another intake.
The final stages of recruitment are underway for an additional 82 officers as well as 20 people from the Port Police, according to Garde.
Internally, he said the organisation has also focused on strengthening morale and esprit de corps, arguing that staff are now more unified than they had been previously.
A committee working closely with community policing has been used to bring personnel together socially and strengthen relationships within the organisation. Garde said officers need opportunities to interact beyond their professional duties because leadership must “know your staff on various levels” while creating an environment capable of improving motivation.
However, the Commissioner acknowledged that the progress of the past two years has unfolded against an extremely difficult criminal backdrop.
He described the country’s criminal environment two years ago as being on a “spiral,” noting that Saint Lucia has experienced some of the highest homicide levels recorded during the organisation’s history.
Last year proved particularly challenging, but Garde said intensified police operations resulted in the interception of what he described as the largest amount of firearms and ammunition in the recorded history of the RSLPF.
That focus has continued into this year, with the Commissioner reporting that police have maintained their firearm and ammunition interception efforts since January.
While acknowledging both the gains and the considerable work still ahead, Garde said the RSLPF remains committed to improving the security environment.
For the Commissioner, his two-year milestone is therefore not simply a measure of whether he has fulfilled his own expectations, but an opportunity to assess the institutional changes made during that period and the challenges still confronting the Force.
And with further operations planned, asset forfeiture on the agenda and the Force continuing to target illegal firearms, Garde has made clear that the next phase of his tenure will place significant emphasis on confronting those responsible for serious criminal activity.
