President of the Police Welfare Association Camron Laure, during an appearance on Newsmaker Live with Timothy Poleon, outlined several challenges facing the officers of the Royal St Lucia Police Force. According to Laure, the RSLPF is currently grappling with limited resources, increased risk in the line of duty, and problems with promotions, among other hardships.
Recently the government touted the issuance of several vehicles and other pieces of equipment to the RSLPF, yet Laure says these allocations are simply replacements for decommissioned gear. With the escalated crime situation which currently obtains, Laure explained that officers are now at increased risk, yet are expected to perform their duties without the security of protective gear such as bullet proof vests and other implements.
He stated that several officers, more specifically, the team of special police constables, have been employed within the service for decades, yet are not a permanent part of the force. These individuals are contracted for 3 year intervals, a situation which has persisted for a very long time. Laure says while the vast majority of these servicemen have provided dedicated service, because of the nature of their employment, they are unable to secure backing from financial institutions to adequately provide for their families. The police welfare association plans to tackle these issues in the coming weeks, along with the matter of promotions within the service.
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