Governor Reverts Acting CoP to DCoP as
Governor John Pruce has defended his decision to remove Jackie (Nicole) Vanterpool as Acting Commissioner of Police and to revert her to her substantive post as Deputy Commissioner, saying recent developments required action in the interests of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF). The move and the governor’s nomination of UK national Richard Ullger as interim Acting Commissioner have prompted public protest, criticism from local voices and a detailed defence of Vanterpool’s record shared on social media and reported by VINO.
Governor John Pruce has defended his decision to remove Jackie Vanterpool as Acting Commissioner of Police and to return her to her substantive post as Deputy Commissioner, saying developments in recent weeks and months required him to act in the interests of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).
Pruce made the remarks during an appearance on ZBVI 780 AM’s Talking Points on Monday, November 10, 2025, days after announcing on November 7 that he had put forward United Kingdom national Richard Ullger — a former Commissioner of Police in Gibraltar — as his nominee for an interim Acting Commissioner. “My duty is in relation to the police force as an organisation,” Pruce told hosts, adding that his priority is ensuring the RVIPF “as a body of people functions effectively and successfully.” He did not outline specific developments that prompted his decision.
Members of the public gathered in the parking lot of the Governor’s Office while Pruce was on air, and many residents and local stakeholders remain unconvinced. Critics note the Police Service Commission had recommended Vanterpool for the top post and worry the governor is using a vetting dispute to appoint an external candidate.
Some have also raised concerns about Ullger’s background, which they describe as having a checkered past. Local reports earlier this year suggested the decision may be linked to a dispute over the force’s vetting process. In September 2025, Governor Pruce reportedly accused Vanterpool of telling officers that the vetting process had been suspended under a court injunction and of discouraging them from submitting further forms.
Pruce is said to have threatened disciplinary action unless the information was corrected; Vanterpool’s supporters say she was conveying a court order. An injunction issued by Acting Justice Akilah Anderson on August 11, 2025, and reissued on August 25 prevented the Commissioner of Police, the Police Service Commission or their agents from initiating disciplinary or criminal proceedings against current members of the RVIPF and Auxiliary Force for failing to comply with certain vetting requirements.
The governor emphasised that Vanterpool is not being demoted or sacked and will return to her Deputy Commissioner post effective November 18, 2025. “This is not a demotion, it’s not a sacking, she is returning to her permanent substantive appointment where she will still have an enormous contribution to make to the force,” he said.
A Facebook post reproduced by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) and attributed to Mrs Angelle A. Cameron laid out a timeline of Vanterpool’s rise through the ranks over the past nine years. VINO reports the post notes Vanterpool was appointed the BVI’s first female Superintendent in 2016, spent six weeks in 2019 working at a UK-based law enforcement agency to gain first-hand experience of UK policing, completed the Strategic Command Course at the UK College of Policing in 2020 (a course often taken by future commissioners), was appointed Deputy Commissioner in 2022 and served as Acting Commissioner from 2024 for a little over a year.
VINO also published Vanterpool’s own statement on November 12, 2025, in which she said she “accepted the task fully, worked hard, and remained committed to making the necessary changes within the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force to better protect and serve the people of this Territory.” She described the governor’s decision as “unfortunate” but reaffirmed her commitment to the people of the Virgin Islands and the RVIPF.
The controversy highlights wider issues for the Territory: local confidence in police leadership, transparency around appointment processes, and the role of UK nationals in senior public security posts. Calls for greater clarity and consultation are likely to continue as the interim appointment process proceeds.
Primary source: VINO