Women Police Officers – An Invaluable Contribution to Nation Building

by Colin O John

Commissioner of Police (Ag.)It is my firm belief that women in law enforcement have always been and still are among the noblest professions.

This is why as the Acting Commissioner of Police, I salute and recognize the service, sacrifice and true dedication to duty of the mothers who wear the uniform of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force on this special occasion that we celebrate as Mother’s Day.

There is a woman police officer in every department of the Police who happens to be a mother. Our women police officers who are mothers patrol the Beat, they investigate crimes at the Criminal Investigations Department, they patrol our borders and ride the treacherous waves while performing duties at the Coast Guard; they patrol the mountainous terrain of this beautiful land as members of the Special Services and Rapid Response Units arresting the criminals; they assist in ensuring the proper administration of the police force at the Office of the Commissioner of Police/Headquarters Office and the list goes on.

As mothers, wives, sisters and even grandmothers, these officers have been making an extraordinary sacrifice not only to protect and provide for their own families but to protect and serve the citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Our women police officers including those who are mothers are true nation builders and deserves every bit of recognition that they receive.Over the years, women police officers, including those who are mothers have experienced tremendous improvement in every area of responsibility in the Police Force.

They have benefited from training, mentoring and career and personal development programs. And when it comes to promotion, our women police officers including mothers are not left out; they often go ‘head to head’ with their male counterparts in the shortlisting process.

Currently, there are 174 women Police Officers in the organisation and the highest rank is that of superintendent. This is testament of the respect and high regard in which the organisation holds our women police officers.

Accordingly, on behalf of the entire police force, I extend best wishes and happy mother’s day greetings to every women police officer who are mothers, members of the civilian staff who are mothers and to every mother throughout the length and breath of St Vincent and the Grenadines including my own mother.