TORTOLA, British Virgin Island, CMC – The Governor of this British Overseas territory, John Rankin, says that a team of United Kingdom (UK) experts is now reviewing the territory’s law enforcement and justice procedures.
In a recent interview, the Governor said there have been several seizures of guns, ammunition, and drugs in the territory this year. He said this is where the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations come into play.
“Firstly, the Commission of Inquiry recommended a wider law enforcement and justice review of all the agencies involved in this area,” Rankin said in a recent interview.
He pointed out that the review covers not just the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force but also the Customs and Immigration departments, the courts, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and possibly the Office of the Attorney General.
“The review is being carried out by a group of experts, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, and they are actually in the territory now as I speak. [They are] real experts in these areas, carrying out these reviews [and] looking at the structures of those agencies,” the Governor explained.
He further said that officials will look at how the institutions work together, how they are resourced, how they can better carry out their functions, and how they can have better joined-up operations to improve the justice system and law enforcement.
Concerning the police, Rankin said the team will look at whether they have the necessary facilities, resources, and powers to be effective in crime prevention, crime detection, and making arrests.
The Governor said the law enforcement review will produce a report in March. He commented that he was confident and hoped it would be comprehensive and could help to set the way forward for law enforcement in the territory for the next ten years and beyond.
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