National Leaders Attend

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, December 19, 2022 – An armoured vehicle has finally arrived in the Turks and Caicos, it was part of the handovers at the Police Parade held at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex on December 17th.

“I wish to acknowledge the presence of His Excellency Nigel Dakin, the Governor, Honorable Washington Misick, the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Honorable Ministers of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, the Deputy Governor, Invited Guests, my Force Executive colleagues, Assistant Commissioner Strachan and his team from the Royal Bahamas Police Force,  RTCIPF Police Officers and Staff Force, members of the public, media partners and those joining us via social media and on line; you are very welcome to this Commissioners parade, the first for a number of years.

I also acknowledge and welcome Father Douglas the RTCIPF Chaplain and Bishop Laish Boyd visiting from the Bahamas,” said Trevor Botting, TCI Police Commissioner in his remarks at the December 16 event.

The $400,000 vehicle is the first of two for the police and the government promises  that they will ‘be an important tool in combating crime and broader national security.

“A Police Commissioner simply could not have asked for any more from a Government in terms of financial support to bring in Officers from our close cousins in the Bahamas, to the purchase vital equipment to assist in keeping our officers safe and the trust that we will do what was needed to restore security to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

You may have seen the new vehicle arrive on the parade square, a vehicle that will help our officers take the fight to the very front door of those who are seeking to terrorize our communities. Hon Premier, thank you for supporting the procurement of this vehicle, my officers will be exponentially safer for it and we are grateful.”

Along with the new vehicular additions, 14 new recruits were also at the ceremony as they prepared to go off for their training in several weeks. In addition to that there will be 13 recalled officers joining the ranks, a significant increase to the Force’s numbers.

“Having reflected on this year, I want to look forward to 2023. As a Force we are developing our capability and capacity. We are investing in the leaders of the Force to enable them to better serve their teams and deliver a high quality Policing service to our communities, we are building our policing capability and capacity, including our intelligence capability, investing in our Investigation Team and our Tactical Unit, important functions in the prevention and detection of crime.

Our ambition to deliver a community policing model remains strong and our recent community events have demonstrated this, I expect this to expand and deliver even more during 2023.”

During the ceremony Long service awards and Queens Jubilee Medals were handed out to deserving officers in addition to that a cash prize was awarded to the officer who was considered to be the best turned out officer on parade,

“The parade today is a chance for me to do a number of things:

• Recognize officers who will receive long service medals,
• Acknowledge officers who will receive the Queens Jubilee Medal which will be issued later at Police Headquarters
• To thank our colleagues from the Royal Bahamas Police Force for their contribution to policing on the TCI
• Acknowledge members of the community who have shown outstanding support to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force
• Say thank you to our civilian members of our Fantastic Police Band and;
• I will also be awarding a cash prize to the officer who I considered to be the best turned out officer on parade, a hard job for me to judge given the excellent turn out today.”

Police Commissioner, Trevor Botting used his speech to also address the people of the TCI. He described the events of the last quarter of the year as a ‘ferocious attack on human dignity.’ While acknowledging that he may not have always got things right he had ‘always sought to do the right thing to ensure the safety and security of our citizens and the safety and development of the hard working men and women of the Force’.

Adding, “The last four months has been tough but we have shown ourselves to be tough and uncompromising in our response. We have made progress but there is more to do and we are committed to doing it. I want to reassure our communities that we will remain on the front foot in tracking down and bring to justice those who seek to terrorize our communities.”