Recruit More Trustworthy Police Officers
Police Commissioner Richard Ullger says rebuilding public trust requires recruiting officers with high values and dealing firmly with those who should not serve. He highlighted plans to strengthen the RVIPF’s Professional Standards Department after a review by a twinned UK force.
Police Commissioner Richard Ullger has told a local radio programme that repairing the deepening trust deficit between the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and the public begins with recruiting more trustworthy officers and addressing existing internal problems. The discussion took place on Talking Points with host Elvin Grant, who argued community policing initiatives have not been sustained in ways that restore confidence. "It’s all well and good saying call the tip line… but if you don’t trust the officer on the street, you’re not going to call the tip line," Grant said, asking what practical steps could be taken to rebuild trust.
Ullger responded that the standards and principles of policing in the BVI remain very high, but progress depends on two parallel efforts: removing or disciplining officers who should not be serving, and recruiting new officers with strong ethical values. "We need to be recruiting people who have very high values," he said, warning that hiring without a code of ethics at the core invites problems that damage the organisation and community confidence.
To that end, the commissioner said the Professional Standards Department, which handles internal investigations, is being strengthened. Ullger revealed the unit recently received support from a "twinned force" in the United Kingdom that reviewed its processes. The external review found the department is functioning but needs more resources to be fully effective. "Hence the reason why I’m looking at the threats, risks, demands of our organisation, to make sure that we start addressing those very needs," Ullger said, noting that rebuilding trust is fragile: "the minute something goes wrong, you lose it.
And to build that trust again is not easy at all." For BVI residents, the commissioner’s comments underline an institutional focus on vetting, accountability and resource allocation within the RVIPF. Stronger professional standards and more rigorous recruitment could improve willingness to report crime and cooperate with police, key factors for public safety and effective policing across the Territory.
Ullger’s remarks do not offer an immediate timeline for personnel changes or recruitment drives, but they signal planned internal reviews and a priority shift toward ethics-driven hiring and enhanced oversight. Community leaders and residents will be watching for concrete steps — including recruitment criteria, disciplinary transparency and improved community engagement — that translate these commitments into restored trust.
Primary source: BVI News