BASSETETTE, St. Kitts – WITH manpower of more than 300, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force is on a local recruitment drive, and according to a senior member there has been a significant increase in the interest of locals in recent times.
It has been noted that over the past years the Police Force has had to tap into regional markets for recruitment purposes, owing to the decreased interest of locals to join the crime-fighting body.
The Police Force’s Press and Public Relations Officer Inspector Lyndon David has however informed that locals have been showing more interest in the becoming member of the agency.
“Currently, we are seeing a large increase in locals signing up and are actually passing the recruitment training. So right now to intentionally go outside the Federation, that may not happen.
“And what we are seeing too, persons who would have gone to university and come back, they are also joining the Police Force. So we are seeing people with higher or tertiary level education (who) are joining the Force…”
He opted not to divulge the full strength of the Force but noted that, albeit, it is not operating at full capacity. “We are still enough so that we can carry out our mandate.”
He said retirements and resignations have had an impact on the strength of the Force, but he expressed his expectation that following the next three batches of recruit training the Force would be functioning at optimum capacity.
An interesting part of their recruitment drive, as expressed by David, is the use of the Force’s Mobile Command Centre. He said from time to time it would be placed in specific locations and individuals needing information about opportunities in the RSCNPF would be able to receive from the Unit.
“In some instances we can park it in a location and we have our material there to distribute to persons who want to know more about the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and how to be a police applicant. We are certainly giving that assurance that there is career in policing and policing is something that they can consider.”
Inspector David highlighted some of the career opportunities available within the Force.
“We want persons to know that the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force is offering career opportunities for persons. We have had new sections being brought up; we have improved our Crime Scene Department…our Double Casting Department that deals with firearms issues; we have our Technology Department; we are also doing cybercrime and we have our Financial Investigations Unit. And we have other departments that we know people are interested in.
“But what we are saying to people, you must be a police officer, go through the necessary training in order to get there. You may go to that department whereas you may not. Initially, you may not go there, you may go on the Beat to understand general policing, go to an outstation or two and then you can be specialised.”
