Premier Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley has conveyed his unwavering confidence in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force’s (RVIPF) comprehensive four-year national security strategy, designed to combat crime effectively throughout the territory.
Responding to queries posed by Opposition Leader Honourable Ronnie Skelton in the House of Assembly on Thursday, Premier Wheatley outlined the key components of the RVIPF’s strategy, which encompasses four overarching areas aimed at enhancing law enforcement capabilities and bolstering public safety.
These four critical result areas include fostering confidence in policing, strengthening border security measures, promoting community policing initiatives, and facilitating continuous professional development opportunities for all police officers.
Premier Wheatley also underscored the importance of a recently completed risk assessment initiative, which identified eight priority areas for addressing crime within the Virgin Islands.
In response to Skelton’s follow-up inquiry regarding the premier’s satisfaction with the outlined strategy, Dr. Wheatley acknowledged a few deficiencies that require attention but affirmed his belief in the strategy’s overall effectiveness in tackling crime and maintaining public safety.
Furthermore, Premier Wheatley disclosed that the RVIPF has received the findings from a recently completed Law Enforcement Review and is actively developing an action plan to implement the recommendations stemming from the review process.
This proactive approach according to the premier aims to address any identified areas for improvement and to optimize law enforcement operations in the BVI.
Dr. Wheatley also announced plans to expedite the publication of the Law Enforcement Review, ensuring its accessibility to the BVI public.