Defence Force begins training for expanded police powers under new Police Act

Members of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) are one step closer to exercising police powers under the Police (Amendment) Act 2025, with formal training officially beginning on Monday, marking the launch of the inaugural Law Enforcement Training Course alongside members of The Barbados Police Service (TBPS).

The programme is part of the operational rollout of the recently passed legislation, allowing BDF personnel to exercise the powers, privileges, and responsibilities of police officers, but only during joint land-based operations with the TBPS and when deployed under presidential directive.

The legal framework for this authority is grounded in Section 79A of the amended Police Act Cap 167 and Section 9(2) of the Defence Act Cap 159.

The Police (Amendment) Act 2025 had come under fire from civil society groups, including the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB), who had raised concerns about the implications of expanding police powers to the military.

Among their stated objections were “the possibility of arbitrary arrests being made,” and “the abuse of the power and authority on the part of members of the BDF.”

CTUSAB also warned that “the powers of arrest being granted to members of the BDF within the civil society space is considered as a dangerous precedent,” and noted that under the Police Act, “the maintaining of law and order is the sole preserve of the Barbados Police Service.”

The Law Enforcement Training Course focuses on legal literacy, human rights, and coordinated enforcement between the two forces.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Erwin Boyce said the training was designed to promote “ethical enforcement and procedural clarity in maintaining public trust.”

He identified its key pillars as “a thorough understanding of human rights and lawful intervention, mastery of policy and legal frameworks, adherence to standard operating procedures for arrest, and cultivation of alertness, vigilance, and teamwork as critical success factors.”

Chief of Staff of the BDF Brigadier Carlos Lovell described the legislative amendment as “a historic move in the security framework of Barbados.”

He said it was intended to ensure the peace and security of all Barbadians, and encouraged participants to consider “the link between powers of arrest and mission clarity, the necessity of applying these powers with integrity, the importance of transparency to ensure legitimacy, and the need for clarity and precision in all operational actions.”

Assistant Chief of Police Barry Hunte said there were differences between police and military procedures, but argued that unification was necessary to support national sustainability. He pointed to “the shared responsibility of both forces in serving the public, the inevitability of scrutiny and the importance of remaining mission-focused, the necessity of cultural awareness and ethical standards, and the benefits of joint patrols and enhanced crisis response capabilities.”

The Barbados Defence Force has described the new approach as an investment in a more agile and unified security framework. (SM)