New Commissioner of Police Sonia Boyce is determined to earn the trust of Barbadians, she said prior to inspecting the troops in her first inspection during yesterday’s ceremonial parade to commemorate her appointment.
The first woman to hold the post, she used the parade at the Regional Police Training Centre, Seawell, Christ Church, to outline her plans for a modern policing outfit that earns the trust of the public.
She was supported in that quest by Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley, who revealed that the condition of the police stations was being addressed with state-of-the-art police stations expected to be built over the next two years at Six Roads, Black Rock and Holetown.
Lashley said the environment which the Barbados Police Service is operating had changed considerably and continued to change rapidly.
“The criminal element is just as informed and well equipped as those whose job it is [combat them]. It is therefore important that one of the immediate priorities of this Government is the continuation of looking after the interests of members of the Police Service,” he said.
His remarks and that of Commissioner Boyce came two days after they were part of the launch of public service announcements and posters encouraging residents not to harbour wanted people, and the price they will pay if they do so.
Boyce said: “We recognise that trust must be earned, not demanded. It is built through consistent action, through fairness and through respect. My commitment is that the Barbados Police Service will work tirelessly to strengthen that trust. We will be present in your communities, we will listen to your concerns, we will respond with professionalism and cheer, and we will hold ourselves accountable to the standards you rightfully expect,” she said.
The commissioner also advised her officers as well as the public to remember they were more than simply upholders of the law.
“As you stand on parade this evening, remember that each badge, each stripe, each medal represents sacrifice and service. Let it also represent a renewed promise to uphold the highest ideals of this profession. To the people of Barbados, let me say this – your safety is our priority, and your trust is our greatest asset. We are here to serve you, not merely to enforce the law, but to uphold justice, protect the vulnerable and maintain the peace that defines our nation,” she stated.
Renewal of purpose
Yesterday, she said, marked not simply a change in leadership but a renewal of purpose.
“We are operating in a time of complexity and change. Crime is evolving, becoming more sophisticated, more transnational, and in some cases, more violent. Technology is reshaping how offences are committed and how they must be investigated. Public expectations of policing are higher than ever and rightly so. The people of Barbados expect a service that is responsive, professional, fair and effective, and they deserve nothing less.
“My vision for the Barbados Police Service is clear. To build a modern, trusted and highly capable police organisation that delivers safety, justice and reassurance to every community in this island. This vision is not an abstract slogan; it must translate into how we lead, how we deploy, how we train and how we treat our fellow citizens every single day,” she said.
Boyce said the need to modernise was not optional but essential and the service would seek out the appropriate technologies to improve case clearance rates, enhance officers’ safety and improve service to the public.
“From client analysis to communication systems, from forensic capabilities to administrative processes, we must modernise how we operate. Efficiency and effectiveness must go hand-in-hand. We will seek out appropriate technologies that support our mission, not gadgets for their own sake, but tools that will also look critically at our processes, simplifying where we can, digitising where we must and always asking ourselves, does this help the people we serve?” she asked.
Boyce, who attended the ceremony with her mother, Cynthia Best and daughter Kelly-Ann Boyce, said she was “deeply honoured and profoundly humbled” by her appointment and thankful for the confidence shown in her while pledging to perform her duties with “an unshakeable commitment to lead with integrity, courage and purpose”.
She also praised the work of her predecessor Richard Boyce for his “distinguished service and dedicated and principled leadership”, both to the service and to Barbados.
“His tenure was marked by professionalism, steady stewardship and a clear commitment to duty. On behalf of the Barbados Police Service and the nation, I extend sincere appreciation for his sterling contribution. We build today upon the foundation he helped to strengthen,” she said. ( CA)