St. Maarten Private Eye

SMN News - Dick - More Foreign Assistance Needed to Restructure Police Force - 23rd July 2008

From SMN News

Philipsburg: --- Minister of Justice David Dick in an interview with SMN News said he would continue to seek assistance from persons living outside of the Netherlands Antilles to restructure and manage the Police Force who is in dire need of help. Dick said that even though St. Maarten Police Force is in a critical stage and help is needed; officers on St. Maarten are quick to pick and choose and in most cases refused to accept they need help from the outside to upgrade the police force.

The justice Minister said despite the refusal he would continue to seek people from the outside and bring them to St. Maarten so that the Police Force can be properly upgraded and managed. The Minister who would be leaving the island today said he met with the management team of the Police Force and he is content with what they showed him. As for the coach Ronald Dongor who is on St. Maarten just over six weeks now is busy taking an inventory on what needs to be done for the restructuring of the Police Force. Dongor he said already notified him of the need for more human resource which includes a social worker. The minister said no one from the past management ever made an official request for a social worker when he was asked about the state of affairs of the police officers who just recently are making headlines with their behavior.
Asked if the coach intend to provide anger management for those officers who cannot display self control? The Minister said all of this will be part of the restructuring which is in its beginning phases.

“One may think that there are no changes within the force, but these changes will not take place over night. Since the Marechaussee came the Armed Robbery Team managed to capture some of the suspects who are responsible for many of the daylight robberies. One of the things the police have to work on is how to prevent crime since most of the criminals that were captured recently are known criminals.” Dick said. Asked if he is concerned on the escalating crime rate, the Minister admitted he is very much concerned like everyone else. He said for this reason he decided to extend his stay on St. Maarten so he could have met with the local parties to discuss the justice chain which St. Maarten has to take over when they achieve country status. He said he wants everybody on the same page as he is and hopes to upgrade the police force with the necessary materials and manpower within the near future. Those materials he said includes computers, manpower, and an IT system. The Minister said that one thing that has to be clear is that people cannot contradict each other and very important is a change of attitude from everyone within the police force. “There is need for more surveillance if crime is to be tackled in the right manner and the private sector has to fully cooperate by not hiring undocumented persons.” The Minister said.

Commenting on the shooting incident which took place last Thursday the Minister said that there was some miscommunication between the medical and criminal experts. He admitted that the officer in question should have been arrested the minute he was seen by the acting prosecutor. Asked on what grounds the female officer was suspended the Minister said that it is quite obvious that the female officer is part of this criminal investigation and it is necessary that she be kept off the job.

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