Nine Regional Police Officers Receive Awards

Nine police officers from across the region were awarded at the Amalgamated Security Services Limited (ASSL) Regional Recognition ceremony for law-enforcement officers held at the Iberostar Hotel in St. James on May 1.

This initiative stems from the partnership between ASSL and the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP), which is currently staging its five-day conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

The ceremony recognised outstanding police officers in the ACCP who have contributed significantly to crime reduction, the enhancement of community relations through law enforcement, and the improvement of general security and safety in the region.

Speaking with JIS News, Group Marketing Manager of ASSL, Robert Baur, said there were three categories for awards and each had one winner and two runners-up.

“The categories included Top Caribbean Career Move, Top Caribbean Community Policing Officer and Top Caribbean Crime-fighter. Each member state was encouraged to nominate and send the names and profiles of the officer to their Supervisor and Commissioner for authorisation,” Mr. Baur noted.

He said that the Top Caribbean Career Move winner was Inspector in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Services, André Norton, while Assistant Superintendent in the St. Lucia Police Force, Elvin Thomas, and Deputy Inspector in the Suriname Police Force, Rishi Vishal Akkal, placed second and third, respectively.

The Top Caribbean Crime-fighter was won by Sergeant of the Barbados Police Force, Mitchell Roach, while Sergeant in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Services, Ishmael Pitt, placed second, and Detective Constable of the Grenada Police Force, Troy Joseph, third.

Inspector in the Barbados Police Force, Roland Cobbler, won the Caribbean Community Police award; Constable in the St. Lucia Police Force, Cyril Charles was second, and Sergeant in the Bermuda Police Force, Shakisha Minors, third.

“All the nominees in each category got trophies, but the winners won US$5,000 cash for their respective Police Force that nominated them. They can use the money for a youth club, community project or further development of their post,” Mr. Baur explained.

Mr. Baur said the process was very transparent, “Amalgamated Security Services did not get the applications nor did we do the judging or selection of the applicants. We sent the documents to three international independent judges from the United States and the UK who had no personal interest or bias in the process, and they selected the winners based on the information that was submitted on the form,” he noted.

The awards programme was officially launched in December 2014, with the first winner named in May 2015.