Monday, November 23, was the first of three public consultations on a policing plan for the island being rolled out by Mr. Paul Morrison, the recently-appointed Commissioner of the Royal Anguilla Police Force.
That consultation was held at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church for residents at East End and Island Harbour. While the attendance could have been better, the information provided in Mr. Morrison’s forty-minute presentation, and the critical questions raised by a number of persons, made the consultation a most worthwhile undertaking.
The broad outlines of his presentation included community involvement in policing; intelligence-led policing; developing a policing plan that is competent, resilient and capable of keeping pace with changing times and circumstances; ensures that the police force acts with integrity and accountability; that the force is one in which officers are proud to serve; and one that the community is proud to support.
The policing plan also takes into consideration making the best use of resources; provides opportunities for decision-making at all ranks of the membership of the force; demonstrates that the police are listening to the community; that in carrying out their work they do so with fairness; that the police are dealing effectively with crime and anti-social behaviour; that strong partnerships are built between the community and the police to maintain Anguilla’s reputation as the safest Caribbean island; and that through such community/police interaction and cooperation, that a hostile environment is created to discourage crime inside the island and from outside its borders. Towards that end, strong links will be forged with such border control agencies as Immigration and Customs.
The other public consultations were arranged for the Adrian T. Hazel Primary School Auditorium on Thursday, November 26 and the Orealia Kelley Primary School Auditorium on Friday, November 27.
Mr. Morrison, who assumed duties in Anguilla in the first week of October, previously served with the Sussex and Surrey Police Force in the United Kingdom.
