Commissioner of Police Mark Collins has issued an apology to the public following the circulation of a video that has received major criticism from residents.
The video which is five minutes and thirty-eight seconds in length is entitled ‘Police in Paradise’ and includes Commissioner Collins and other members of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.
The content of the video consists of major recent criminal events in the territory, including the 2021 murder of Deverson Williams, which was captured on a CCTV camera in the Fish Bay area.
That footage was graphically displayed numerous times within the video and was accompanied by other sensitive information, including the number of times Williams was shot and the areas around his body where the bullets penetrated.
Following the backlash from the public, Commissioner Collins issued a statement apologizing on behalf of himself and the police force.
He said, “I am saddened by the actions taken to bring me and the Force into disgrace. I am even more disheartened that the people of this Territory have to endure additional distress and trauma in this already very difficult time.”
“I offer apologies on my behalf and that of the Royal Virgin Police Force,” he added.
Video incomplete
Collins also revealed that the video was not the complete version, stating that it was a snippet sent to him to be reviewed for the purpose of gathering feedback.
“While permission was sought in advance from the relevant authorities specifically for the intended purpose, this raw footage in circulation lacked an introduction and a conclusion and was never intended for public consumption,” he stated.
He continued, “I received the video in its incomplete form and circulated it to a small group of officers within the Force to receive feedback to help with its completion. None of the violence, drug transshipments or the seizures in this video would ever be appropriate to be viewed by the public.”
Video a tool to attract more recruits
The top cop also said that the video’s intent was to be used as a marketing tool to attract persons interested in becoming police officers in the Virgin Islands.
“The incomplete video entitled ‘Police in Paradise’ which is now in circulation was intended to be a tool for recruiting officers from the Caribbean and the U.K., and aimed at capturing the benefits and challenges of policing in the BVI,” he explained.