Even as the Gonsalves-led administration is increasing the number of recruits into the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF), Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has extended a bit of advice to officers who are tardy in their response to the public, citing lack of transport.

His advice to them is to join the Civil Service if they want a desk job.

“ There are very good police,” Gonsalves pointed out during question time in the House of Assembly last week Monday,
October 17, “ but there are some who- if you don’t want to be a policeman…don’t join the police force,” he said in response to a question from Opposition Senator, Shevern John.

Gonsalves said there are instances when members of the public call a police station to make a report and “the first thing they [police]tell you ‘we don’t have any transport,”.

He said there are members of the RSVPF who do not want to walk even 100 yards to respond to a call.

Gonsalves, who as Minister of National Security has responsibility for the police was asked to explain what method is used for the distribution of police transport to various district stations throughout the state; and whether the government has any plans to ensure a vehicle is provided to each police station so the police would be able to “move easily throughout the villages that they have responsibility for”.

Noting the desirability for every station to have a vehicle, Gonsalves however said that “more vehicles are not the central solution,” as the question implies.

He highlighted the misuse of police vehicles as a problem in the RSVGPF where drivers “mash up” new vehicles within 2-4 weeks of having received them, and it is common knowledge that they drive as though on a race course.

This has led to the police hierarchy moving to have drivers pay for the damage “in accordance with the rules”.

However, Gonsalves told Parliament that officers do now want to drive the police transports.

Therefore consideration is being given to recruit and train as
Auxiliary Officers, persons who are good drivers but do not have the necessary qualifications for enlistment into the police force. They would be hired to drive the police vehicles.

Gonsalves gave a specific example of police vehicle misuse. He said it was reported to him that someone in control had sent the police vehicle to take a family member from Georgetown to Fancy and instructed the driver to wait to take back someone from the family to Georgetown, although “there is a vehicle in the family”.

The Prime Minister informed Parliament that the police have around 75 vehicles in good working condition; he has recently provided for an additional two new vehicles costing EC$185,000 and consideration is being given to purchase some used vehicles as proposed by the police hierarchy.

Gonsalves also used the opportunity to comment on the numbers within the organization noting that his administration has been increasing the number of recruits and, discounting members of the Coast Guard and Fire service, the police force currently has 1000 officers, which exceeds the internationally recommended number per population.

Sharing some of his experiences with police vehicles in the very early days of his administration Gonsalves related where the police and the vehicle they were driving had to shelter under a tree during heavy showers on the mainland on the day Ministers of his administration were being sworn in; and another incident on a Grenadine island where a vehicle with malfunctioning breaks and steering wheel was sent to pick him.

“We have come an extremely long way along the continuum of providing a sufficiency of vehicles for the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force,” Gonsalves stressed, later pointing out that it would be good if every station has a vehicle but that reasonableness and proper management of resources are also required.