The Police Welfare Association (PWA) is standing behind Police Commissioner, Severin Moncherry, in a public spat with Castries Mayor, Peterson Francis.
Moncherry and Francis have traded words publicly over a meeting between the two men that was rescheduled several times and failed to materialise.
‘We believe it is indeed fitting for us to rally with the Commissioner of Police. We believe that there must be absolutely no undermining of the office that he holds,” the PWA said in a statement to St Lucia Times.
According to the Organisation, the Mayor has overstepped his boundary.
The PWA declared that despite the ‘wonderful working relationship’ between the City Constabulary and the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), that personal issues must not override professional issues.
The PWA said it wanted to make the following points ‘abundantly clear’:
(1) the COP rally the troops and provide the necessary support for the men and women under his watch.
(2) The COP must also revise the structure of the RSLPF and make it extremely effective to serve the people of St. Lucia.
(3) The COP must not tolerate any form of political interference by any politician as it pertains to the job which he is employed to do.
(4)The COP must press the Government for much required training for his men and champion the cause for legislative review of all the archaic laws governing the police.
“We as the executive of the PWA stand with Commissioner Monchery and warn that there must be no implications against him for speaking the truth,” the statement declared.