The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) will spend nearly $3 million on new hires this year, according to Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle’s 2021 policing plan.
He said the RBPF remains committed to providing policing services that are relevant to the changing policing environment.
“To that end, the force will continue to recruit suitable persons into the Police Training College to enlist as recruit constables,” Rolle wrote in the foreword of the plan.
“We have placed high priority on training and we will continue to diversify our staff through the employment of university graduates with varying professional disciplines that will add value to the organization. The strength of the force currently stands at 3,570 sworn police officers and reserves.
“Due to the attrition factors, 93 police officers exited the force in 2020, including 25 senior police officers. An additional 121 police officers are expected to retire by the end of 2021. This figure includes 36 senior police officers at an estimated retirement cost of $5.547 million including $3.060m in gratuities and $936,000 in salaries. The figure also includes 94 contracted police officers at an estimated retirement cost of $1.551 million.
“These retirement numbers are daunting given the fact that we were unable [to] sustain recruitment levels to supplant the retirement losses. Notwithstanding, the force expects to conduct a recruitment exercise during the year as an initial step to rebuild the strength of the force. The financial cost for the expected 150 new hires is estimated at $2.7 million.”
The commissioner said he will continue to realign the ranks of the force to efficiently manage manpower resources at all police stations throughout The Bahamas.
Rolle said this strategy will “effectively maximize” the use of police officers in addressing public concerns and preventing crimes at the community level.
“In addition, attention will be given to operational support and investigative units to ensure that they are adequately staffed to provide the essential standard of service that is required for those areas,” he said.
Rolle outlined seven priority areas: preemptive operational response to COVID-19 pandemic; crime prevention and intervention strategy using community policing initiatives to build public trust and confidence; criminal investigations and solvability focal point to impact crime; information communications technology expansion to aid police operations; traffic laws enforcement and awareness to reinforce public road safety; gender-based violence and domestic violence awareness to protect people at risk of harm; and youth engagement through community relations outreach to bolster anti-gang and anti-firearm initiatives.
He said these areas will direct the police force in 2021, with an emphasis on property crimes and behavioral crimes.
“Emphasis will also be placed on cases of gender-based violence and domestic violence to dissuade exploitative practices of human trafficking, forced labor and victimization,” Rolle said.
“The force will also focus on creating a safer Bahamas by renewing its focus on youth engagement, criminal investigations and crime prevention.”
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/rbpf-to-spend-3-million-on-new-recruits/
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