Roving Response Team maintains police aid suspension

he Roving Response Team (RRT), the emergency volunteer charity, has reaffirmed its decision to suspend assistance to The Barbados Police Service for motor vehicle accidents and roadway oil spills, nearly a year after the initial announcement.

Jefferson Bovell, president of the RRT, confirmed to Barbados TODAY that the suspension remains in effect. The team had provided voluntary operational support to the police for 30 years before halting their services due to mounting financial pressures.

“We had stopped [assisting police],” Bovell said. “We never started back because we never got a response … a positive response from the insurance companies.”

The suspension was prompted by the increasing financial burden on team members, estimated at $60 000 annually. The insurance industry had previously indicated a willingness to consider investing in the RRT to alleviate this strain.

Barbados TODAY reached out to Randy Graham, president of the General Insurance Association of Barbados (GIAB), for comment but was unsuccessful. But, this newspaper has confirmed that several insurance companies have expressed support for the RRT.

Despite the suspension of police assistance, the RRT remains committed to its natural disaster duties, said Bovell, who emphasised that the team will continue to support the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) under an existing memorandum of understanding.

“We still do our part where hurricanes are concerned. We still go out there and assist with clearing fallen trees and so on. We still work with the DEM. When the all-clear is given, we deploy our team and report back to them [DEM],” Bovell explained.

Formed in 1995 and registered as a charity three years later, the RRT is a civilian organisation that provides support to the national emergency management system. The RRT has played a crucial role in assisting The Barbados Police Service and other emergency services, particularly in managing road accidents and environmental incidents like oil spills.

In September 2023, the RRT suspended its assistance to the police, citing escalating operational costs. The suspension marked a significant change in the charity’s long-standing support role. (EJ)