Police force marks 50

Use handcuffs only as a last resort. Never approach a member of the public with hatred. Try to resolve conflicts with discretion.

These are a few words of wisdom that retired Royal Virgin Islands Police Force officer James Wilson Haliday shared with younger officers on Monday morning at the Road Town Police Station.

Mr. Haliday, who served on the force from its formation in 1967 until his retirement in 1986, was speaking to a crowd of about 100 who had gathered at the station to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the RVIPF.

The RVIPF started as a division of the Antigua, Montserrat and Virgin Islands Police Force in the early 1960s, but it branched off on its own in 1967, according to a document written by Inspector Patrick Harewood.

“That was the year when Antigua achieved statehood in association with Great Britain, which resulted in an amicable parting in order for the BVI to pursue its own national interests,” Mr. Harewood wrote.

The three-hour ceremony, which included a musical performance by the Elmore Stoutt High School senior band, concluded with a buffet lunch.

See the March 2, 2017 edition for full coverage.

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