Public Rejects New Acting Police Commissioner
Anger has erupted across the BVI after Governor Daniel Pruce announced Richard Ullger, a former Gibraltar police chief, as Interim Acting Commissioner of Police. Critics say the appointment sidelines Acting Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool, undermines local leadership and raises questions because Ullger has faced recent UK inquiries into alleged information sharing.
A decision by Governor Daniel Pruce to appoint Richard Ullger as Interim Acting Commissioner of Police has sparked widespread public anger in the British Virgin Islands and prompted plans for a protest at the Governor’s Office this afternoon. Ullger, who spent nearly four decades with the Royal Gibraltar Police, will replace Acting Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool, who is due to revert to her role as Deputy Commissioner later this month.
Governor Pruce has defended the move, saying Vanterpool’s acting role was always temporary and that Ullger’s appointment will provide “continuity and support” while a recruitment process for a permanent commissioner continues. The Governor’s office has also said the post will be funded by the UK government.
Many residents and community leaders, however, view the appointment as a snub to a local officer who has been leading the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) for more than a year. Vanterpool, described by supporters as a trusted and transformational leader who improved police-community ties, was reportedly recommended by the Police Service Commission for permanent appointment.
Her removal has been cited by critics as evidence of ongoing external interference in local affairs. The choice of Ullger has been particularly controversial because of allegations that have surrounded his time in Gibraltar. Reports say the UK’s National Crime Agency investigated claims that Ullger shared sensitive police information with the wife of a defendant in a criminal case, and that his name surfaced in related court proceedings about alleged data breaches.
Ullger has denied wrongdoing and was not suspended during the inquiry, but the unresolved nature of those allegations has left a cloud over his suitability in the eyes of many Virgin Islanders. Bishop John Cline and other prominent figures have publicly called for a demonstration; residents are expected to march on the Governor’s Office around 3pm.
Protesters say the appointment undermines morale within the RVIPF and sends a damaging message to local officers who aspire to senior roles earned through service and merit. The reaction also comes at a sensitive time politically, as elected leaders prepare for constitutional negotiations that aim to shift more control from the UK back to local hands.
For many in the BVI, the Ullger appointment has become a focal point in a broader debate over governance, accountability and local representation in senior public institutions.
Primary source: BVI News