Ending promotion delays, Police Service recognises officers

he Barbados Police Service on Friday acknowledged the prolonged delays in police promotions, a contentious issue that, for some, has spanned over a decade.

But at a ceremony, the top brass, in a bid to turn the corner on a promotions debacle that has been complicated by legal challenges, announced promotions for more than 60 officers — and committed to renewing regular and timely promotions in the future.

Commissioner Richard Boyce detailed the origins of the delays, dating back to 2012, citing internal conflicts and prolonged legal proceedings as the main culprits.

“If you reflect on what happened in 2012, when they had the fallout with the then-commissioner of police and the incoming one, promotions were put on pause for an inordinate length of time,” he explained. “A matter went through the court system and remained in the system for a very long time.”

He elaborated on the efforts to resolve the situation, including the formation of a new service commission and intensive consultations with the senior command. “With the court matter resolved and a new service commission in place, thorough discussions with the senior command team were had,” he said. This led to the recommendation and approval of the long-awaited promotions.

Expressing optimism for the future, Boyce assured that the promotion process is now back on track: “That episode is behind us because the meeting that we had with the Protective Services Commission was a very engaging, understanding and fruitful discussion. So everyone from my end in the Barbados Police Service and their end in the Protective Services Commission, now understand how the organisation operates when it comes to promotions.”

“Going forward, we expect to get those promotions coming out regularly,” he added.

The commissioner’s remarks came during an award ceremony on Friday at the Police Band Headquarters in Station Hill where the officers received their appointment letters. The event saw officers being confirmed in various ranks, including Station Sergeant, Sergeant, Assistant Superintendent, and Inspector.

Boyce noted the emotional weight of the event, labelling it a moment of profound significance, almost divine. He charged the appointees to enlarge their vision and do their best in their new roles, emphasising the importance of finding a balance between personal mindset and organisational expectations.

Newly appointed Assistant Superintendent of Police Rodney Archer, who was promoted after a 20-year wait, expressed his gratitude during the vote of thanks. “For some of us, the wait was indeed extremely long. My last promotion was in 2004, so that is 20 years. But nonetheless, we all are very grateful for at last having been recognised,” ASP Archer said.

Reflecting on the impact of the promotions, he added, “The burden has been slightly shifted for some of us. So I want to thank all of those who were involved in having the foresight to elevate those among us and to give commendations and recognitions to those other persons in the audience. Once again, I want to say thank you on behalf of all of these persons.” (SM)