New Acting COP, Acting Deputy COP appointed

Colin O’Brien John and Frankie Joseph are the new Acting Commissioner of Police and Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police respectively in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Governor General Sir Frederick Nathaniel Ballantyne, GCMG, acting on the advice of the Police Service Commission (PSC), given with the consent of Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, has granted approval for the acting appointments, effective January 2, 2018, until further notice, a release from the Police Public Relations Department has said.

Acting Commissioner John has succeeded former Acting Commissioner Renold Hadaway, who proceeded on pre-retirement leave on January 1, 2018.

The release from the police said Acting Commissioner John brings tremendous experience and knowledge to the organization which he now leads. He was enlisted in the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force in 1988. After serving the organization for 23 years, he was transferred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2011 and appointed as the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions. He served in that position until 2016, when he rejoined the Police Force at the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ag).

Throughout his policing career, he attended several training courses and worked in different departments, including Beat and Patrol, the Immigration Department,Police Canteen, Police Training School, the Criminal Investigations Department, several outstations and the Narcotics Section.

Acting Commissioner John was awarded an LLB (Hons) Degree in Law from the University of Wales on February 27, 2009.  Prior to receiving this award, he was awarded the Holborn College Prize in 2008.  He was called before the Bar in St Vincent and the Grenadines in October 2010, and again in London on July 22, 2016.

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph, a veteran police officer, was enlisted in the Police Force on July 10, 1987. His previous postings included the Immigration Department and the Police Training School.

In 2005, he pursued studies at the University of Buckinghamshire in England. He graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminological Psychology. Upon his return from studies, he was appointed to the post of acting director of the National Commission on Crime Prevention (NCCP).

He was later reassigned to the Police Department and on November 20, 2012, and was appointed to the post of Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of crimes.

The acting deputy Commissioner of the Police recently served as the Ground Commander of the Regional Security System (RSS) forces who were performing humanitarian security duties in Dominica.

“The members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police and its Auxiliary Forces congratulate Acting Commissioner Colin John and Acting Deputy Commissioner Frankie Joseph on their new appointments and; thank former Acting Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway for his service and sterling contribution to the Police Force and St Vincent and the Grenadines as a whole,” the release from the police said.