Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Gonsalves has outlined some of the reforms that are currently taking place in the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force with regards to recruitment and training of new police officers entering the organization.
Speaking during a meeting held yesterday at the Old Montrose Police Lecture Hall attended by approximately 280 police officers and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Mr. Godfred Pompey, the Prime Minister, said the current policy that is followed is that once a recruit is enlisted into the force, he immediately takes the oath of office and becomes a police officer before he/she commences the initial training at the Police Training School.
This according to him has posed some problems overtime to the leadership of the Police Force because some recruits after they were enlisted failed to display the kind of attitude that is required to be a Police Officer.
The Prime Minister informed the audience that based on recommendations from the Commissioner of Police and his high command, the recruitment policy will be change whereby all new recruits will take the oath of office only after he/she has successfully completed training at the police training school and also exudes the required attitude and aptitude to hold the office of a police officer.
He also announced that in the new policy, the probationary period for a recruit will increase from 18 months to 2 years. Dr. Gonsalves said a recruit might have most of the qualities sought after by the police, but lack the mental discipline that drives a police officer.
This draft policy he said has been taken to parliament already for debate.
