Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Minister of National Security Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas addressing new Police Officers

CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (JANUARY 15, 2010) -- Premier and Minister responsible for Security on Nevis Hon. Joseph Parry said he was pleased that the Nevis Police Division would receive an additional seven new police officers.

Mr. Parry told the Department of Information at the end of the second Joint Graduation Ceremony of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services, at the Police Training Complex in St. Kitts on Thursday, that he had been in active discussions with Prime Minister and National Security Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas for added officers.

“We have been discussing increasing the Force on the island of Nevis and they told me that they [were going to] send off the new recruits. They said if I really wanted the request, if I was serious I should come to the parade. They [were] quite right because it was the first time that I have stayed till the end of a parade.

“I indicated our needs, my commitment and I got a group of men. So I hope that they will enjoy being in Nevis and they will be treated well and be very happy,” he said.

The seven new officers will be stationed in Nevis as of Monday January 18, 2009. They formed part of 24 new officers who graduated and 10 officers of the Fire and Rescue Services.

Meantime, Prime Minister Douglas called on the graduates to be committed to the job, citing that their work was critical to the maintenance of a peaceful environment and the growth and development of St. Kitts and Nevis.

He told the new Officers it was important for them to maintain the highest standards of behaviour and professionalism at all times and to ensure that all members of the society respected the laws of the land.

“Yours is a call to service to humanity by addressing and sustaining the values that give us all the purpose to live and enjoy the fruits of years of hard work and achievement.

“I challenge you therefore to be consistent in the execution of your duties, strive at all times to maintain the highest level of commitment, the highest level of professionalism and productivity as members of the principle law enforcement agencies in the Federation. Be committed to the job, get out into the communities. Police Officers be visible [and] patrol the streets. There is where you are trained to be, there is where we want to see you as civilians,” he said. 

Mr. Douglas also told the new Officers that they should avoid the distractions that would lead them away from their assigned duties and that they should go into the communities with the same zeal which carried them through their weeks of training.

“Bring the perpetrators of all forms of crime to justice. Do not compromise your standards, do not turn a blind eye to petty crime…be fearless and be firm in your new careers and be respectful,” he said.

The Prime Minister told the officers that a number of criminal elements had infiltrated the communities and reminded them that as members of the Federation’s Security Forces, they had to ensure that their commitment to protect St. Kitts and Nevis was stronger than any criminal’s determination to break it down.

“Recruits the onus is on all of you to raise the standard of service to your countrymen.

“I challenge you of the respective agencies to fulfil the solid oath that you have taken in execution of your role as officers of essential services in this country. There is a grey in every sphere of your operations, be effective managers and do not compromise your standards and the high ideals that make the institutions which you proudly represent here today,” he said.