Police officers of the year 2019 awarded

by Katherine Renton

Sergeant of police 593 Karla Timm and police constable of 22 years PC 191 Glendon David have been named respectively policewoman and policeman of the year 2019.

The Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) awards of 2019 held at the Russell’s auditorium last Friday, December 27 saw officers swapping their uniforms for fancy dress. The Force pulled out more stops this year, changing certificates for plaques for the division awardees, and having pre-recorded full video citations played for every award.

Sports policeman of the year PC 857 Desron
Maloney (left) accepts his award from Coast guard Commander Brenton Caine

The Commissioner of Police (COP) Colin John reminded the audience that the purpose of the event was to say thank you “to the persons who have made the noble organization of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Royal Police Force the organization that it is.”

While the theme of the night was “rewarding the outstanding while motivating the aspiring,” the COP noted that just because some officers were not collecting awards that night did not mean “that they did not perform outstandingly.”

The ceremony was meant to acknowledge the positives, the top cop stated, and he would not dwell on the negative, despite recent “unfavourable” commentary around the organization in the past weeks.
Over 65 awards were given out that night until at the very end, the policewoman and policeman of the year were announced.

Neither officer knew that they were receiving the award and Sergeant Timm, who was first to be called, appeared shocked.

A part of the decorating and serving committee on the night, Timm, attached to the Major Crimes Unit, received an uproarious cheer. She became emotional when accepting the massive trophy that was half her size.

The Sergeant, who has been in the force for 15 years and four months, is affectionately called “business woman” “because of her unwavering commitment to duty and country,” according to the video.
The 39-year-old Kingstown Park resident who is credited with investigating many major crimes, later revealed that she became emotional because she wished her mother and son were there to see the moment.

Police Constable David kept a straight face for his three awards, one for the Calliaqua police station, one for being the winner of the South Central Division, and his trophy for policeman of the year.

Sports policewoman of the year Corporal 108
Sylvorne Olliver (left) accepts her award from Coast guard Commander Brenton Caine

He had 22 years of service to the RSVGPF, and he is a transport driver who has impressed with his tenacity, and drive and left an impression on his superiors.

It is said that being tasked with the heavy burden of executing 100 warrants in his division, he was able to decrease this number significantly in two weeks. Further, his efforts saw numerous delinquent shopkeepers to settle their outstanding liquor license bills.

The sports police woman and man of the year were announced to be PC 857 Desron Maloney and Corporal 108 Sylvorne Olliver. Both made significant contributions this year on the cricket pitch, and netball court respectively.

Special accolades were also bestowed on, Leading Seaman (LS) 848 Peter Morris who was given the Commissioner of Police Award for Bravery; and AB 159 Kevin Providence, who copped the Academic Excellence Award.

The feature speaker, Chairman of the Police Service Commission(PSC), Cecil Blazer Williams, commended the Force on its reduction of “anti-intellectualism.”

He said there was a time when officers were virtually discouraged from attending evening classes because they had to be on duty.

“I think there is a reduction in the kind of anti-intellectualism in the force because within the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force today you have people with first degrees, second degrees, and you have people who are doing Phds,” he commented.

However, Williams, who spoke in place of an absent Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, did offer some advice within his speech.

He indicated “There are skills which would be needed to fill the new roles of the police force. In some countries the police run rehabilitation centres. They deal with persons who have spent time.”

In a force wherein a large proportion of officers are women, he commented, “the police force itself has to develop internal mechanisms to deal with issues and matters pertaining to female members of the force.”

The Chairman also noted that the RSVGPF must master technology to fight crime.

To the awardees he commended their good work, and stated “your work is extremely important, it is vital, very vital to the sustenance of the society.”