Acting Deputy COP urges public to report police misconduct and illegal firearms in SVG

Acting Deputy Commissioner Junior Simmons says complaints against officers are taken seriously and can lead to disciplinary action. He also called on citizens to help tackle rising gun crime.

RSVGPF pledges action on police complaints and gun violence

Civilians who believe nothing is done when they report misconduct by members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) are mistaken, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Simmons said in an interview published by Searchlight SVG.

Speaking at Central Police Station in Kingstown on August 27, Simmons said complaints against officers are taken seriously by the force's high command and have resulted in disciplinary proceedings.

He acknowledged that investigations are procedural and time-consuming, but said both the officer involved and the complainant are notified once an inquiry is concluded. In certain cases, he added, outcomes are kept confidential to protect the privacy of the parties concerned.

Simmons pointed to the growing use of mediation as a tool to resolve disputes between the police and members of the public. The approach, he said, was recommended by the High Court and has since been incorporated into the force's strategy for improving public relations. Sessions may involve lawyers, clients, police officers and public relations officials, with many disputes resolved amicably and complainants frequently expressing satisfaction with the outcome.

Officers found guilty of an offence face a range of consequences, Simmons said, including dismissal, demotion or criminal charges, in addition to other disciplinary measures.

The deputy commissioner also turned to the issue of illegal firearms, describing gun-related crime as having reached a worrying stage. He urged Vincentians to report anyone suspected of possessing an unlicensed weapon, warning that such arms pose an unpredictable danger.

"You never know when the firearm can be used against you," Simmons said.

He stressed that the RSVGPF "abhors" gun violence and is stepping up efforts to remove illegal weapons from the streets of St Vincent and the Grenadines, but said progress depends on the cooperation of communities.

"We need your support in the fight against crime and violence in this country. We are at the stage where firearm-related offences are spiking. It is not something that we welcome — and we want you, the public, to abhor it and join us in the fight in taking illegal guns off the streets," Simmons said.

His remarks come as the force moves toward what he described as a more responsive, people-centred approach to policing, with stronger public engagement seen as central to that shift.

Source: Searchlight SVG