THE Acting Police Commissioner’s recent decision to forego resubmission of his application for the top job ends another chapter in the life of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force’s storied history.
After serving close to one year in the top post, Errol Alexander is calling it quits on his three-decade-long career in law enforcement. He needs to spend more time with his family, he said.
In the few interviews he has given since announcing his untimely departure, Alexander has deemed the process to appoint a Police Commissioner not to his liking and demoting. He cited his stewardship following the departure of Police Commissioner, Vernon Francois, nearly a year ago as one in which he was able to normalize the police force that was badly impacted by the findings of the IMPACS report.
Whoever is ultimately appointed to the post of Police Commissioner definitely has a task on his/her hands. Obviously, there will be some fallout from some of the reason/s why Alexander felt he needed to abandon his chances of being confirmed in the top position.
While Alexander refused to categorize his departure from the Force as “being pushed out”, there will no doubt be those who would think that some obstructionist ploy has been orchestrated to bring in new blood.
Conspiracy theory or not, the RSLPF faces many challenges as it continues to adjust following the low state of morale it fell into nearly a year ago when Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony read excerpts from the IMPACS report publicly. That is why the soon-to-be-appointed Commission needs to clearly understand the position he/she is getting into. The job calls for much to be done and the citizenry expects nothing less than best.
The new Police Commissioner also needs to join as quickly as he/she can that uphill battle of convincing central government that the police force is overdue for both human and other resources to get its work done efficiently and effectively. With the impending newness must also come a breath of fresh air for an institution that has been called to accomplish very much with very little input from those paying its bills.
It cannot continue to be business as usual in the RSLPF, especially when the top guard is assuming a new and fresh start.