BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FROM the streets to the bars, Delta Squad was the topic of discussion by many. And although information on its command structure did not come from any official or quoted source, suggestions were abundant. But now, those suggestions have been confirmed.
Just over a month ago, an announcement was made regarding the formation of a joint force comprising members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the St. Kitts Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF).
The joint task force is referred to as the Delta Squad and as reported by the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary, Erasmus Williams, Commissioner Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn said the initiative is “part of the ‘Zero Tolerance Take Back The Streets Initiative’”.
One of the suggestions made on the Delta Squad’s command structure was that although police officers were part of its composition, the joint unit does not take instructions from the top brasses of the police force but rather from the SKNDF.
Asked from whom the Delta Squad takes commands, Commissioner Walwyn declared, “They report to the military…they get their assignments from the military. We’ve had too many leaks within the agency, so our operations are secret until they get to work. And once they are ready to go to work, once they have been briefed, then they know where they are going. And that’s the way it’s going to stay. And we’ve been very effective…”
He said the officers had received some training and would receive more, at the end of which “they are going to be really well trained”.
“…The training was done at the military but we have Metro Dade coming in to train in anti-gang tactics. We have Orange County coming in and training again, I have St. Croix coming in and training.”
When asked by the press if the changes he is implementing are sitting well with other members of the police force, Commissioner Walwyn said, “I have learnt that the majority of the minority are going to be the ones making the noise. If you go and check and poll the officers right now, you will find that most of them are onboard with what’s going because they are starting to see the vision.”
