Minister of National Security Marvin Dames.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
AN audit of manpower in the Royal Bahamas Police Force reveals the institution is top-heavy with recent promotional exercises placing a burden on the performance of the force, National Security Minister Marvin Dames (pictured) said in the House of Assembly yesterday.
It’s not clear who is conducting the audit, but Mr Dames said: “Preliminary findings…indicate that the police force is top-heavy and that the organisation’s equilibrium command structure and performance are being impacted. It was found that the recent massive promotion exercise resulted in an oversubscription of gazetted officers especially at the superintendent and assistant commissioners level. In fact, five of the current ten assistant commissioners are performing the same duties they performed prior to being promoted. Simply put, there were not enough vacancies for these officers to fill.”
In an act many considered to be politically motivated as the general election neared, 851 officers were promoted in May under the Christie administration, including two to the chief superintendent’s rank, 76 to the superintendent’s rank and 90 to the assistant superintendent’s rank.
Prior to that, ten officers were promoted to the assistant commissioner of police’s position. One officer was promoted to senior assistant commissioner of police.
Mr Dames said yesterday: “A manpower audit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) is currently on the way to determine the human resources required to effectively provide policing services throughout our nation. This audit, which takes into account population density, land mass and crime trends, will speak to the appropriate structure and deployment of officers for the police force. Preliminary findings have revealed a number of structural issues within the force that currently affect its efficiency.
“Firstly, even though the Bahamas falls well below the global officer-to-citizen ratio, police stations across the capital are understaffed, which negatively impacts the delivery of critical policing services at individual levels. Secondly, the audit also found that nearly 400 officers are currently engaged in non-traditional policing duties and areas such as accounts and human resources and maintenance to name a few.”
A final report on the audit of the force’s manpower will be released by the second week of November, Mr Dames said, adding: “We have already begun the process of correcting a lot of these issues that have negatively impacted the delivery of policing services to the community and the synergy of the organisation itself.”
Mr Dames’ discussion of the audit was met with criticism from South Andros MP Picewell Forbes, who, from his seat, suggested Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade was responsible for the recent promotional exercises and that Mr Dames was overstepping his role in making his criticism.
Mr Dames grew irate.
“Keep your mouth shut,” he shouted at one point. “You never sat as a Cabinet minister so you would not know. . . Sit down and relax yourself…I have the floor.”
Mr Dames, not unlike his predecessor Dr Bernard Nottage, discussed statistics as he sought to prove police are working hard to disrupt criminal activity despite high levels of violent crime.
“Between May and September 2017 police have arrested in excess of 269 persons for an array of serious offences ranging from murder to robbery,” he said.
“They have seized over 125 illegal weapons and 5,316 rounds of ammunition. In addition, 9,381 fixed penalties were issued to drivers in violation of traffic laws. The police have also ramped up their drug interdiction efforts by executing more than 140 anti-drug operations since May of this year. During this time, over 10,332.15 pounds of marijuana and 1,428 pounds of cocaine have been seized. Drug enforcement officers have executed over 120 warrants on suspected drug houses throughout New Providence and Grand Bahama and have also searched over 1,180 persons. A total of 627 persons have been arrested for drug related offences, 528 of whom were subsequently placed before the courts. This clampdown has resulted in many well-known drug houses, which were operating in our communities, being shut down.”
Nonetheless, he said: “There remains work to be done.”
Comments
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! I'm no expert on this. But I thinks Minister Marvin ain't much himself performed sufficiently enough to have grown the size irate balls required be telling a MP opposite to keep they mouth shut. That they never sat as a Crown Cabinet minister, so they wouldn't knows. . . Sit down and relax yourself…I have the floor. { Marvin does spoils it for those bloggers who likes makes stuff up, and without a helping hand }.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 1 month ago
No gun to his head no games Dames Fire them. Fire them all; "Its the peoples time. the people voted for you including many police and you have the right to do as you wish and act as you please. but you do not have the right to insult Mr: Forbes and tell him to shut up or sit down. catch yourself and do not allow power to go to your head,
realfreethinker 7 years, 1 month ago
Forbes a a waste of space in the HOA. He brings nothing to the table
Truism 7 years, 1 month ago
Wow! Any fan of Marvin the marvelous or the manic, shouldn't be insulting anyone cause to do so is to brand yourself an idiot. It is what it is. There's no excuse for Marvin. Ask HAI.
Truism 7 years, 1 month ago
Election 2017 left National Security top light.
licks2 7 years, 1 month ago
Oh. . .I see why the peanut galley een over on that next page "eating crow" from Campbell showing his two PPs! Yinna over here steaming in green. . .as in jealous. . .green! Lol!
TigerB 7 years, 1 month ago
The first Christie administration police promotion caused major problems, it was top heavy. Three or four years later they do the same thing again. Superintendents are a dime a dozen. That will screw up the pay and pension of these officers in the future. We get to foot the bill for pensions later. Every officer in urban renewal was promoted, in some cases twice, many have zero experience in policing or police management, but they are supervisors. As a former kiki wearer, I know all to well that under that administration promotions were given away for free. We all will pay the price for it. Those officers who got missed out will not see a promotion for years because all vacancies are filled out, no one will be goin on pension anytime soon.
BONEFISH 7 years, 1 month ago
Tiger B's comment is very true.I was told of an ACP who was promoted in the pre-election rush who does basically nothing on a day to day basis.I was also told of a senior officer who got some major promotions working in urban renewal program.
ConcernedCitizen242BHS 7 years, 1 month ago
Solution for reducing crime & deterring criminal activity:
1) Create a new maximum security, Bahamas led and designed prison on one of our more isolated islands 2) Begin upskilling & training the current resources of able bodied Bahamian men held within the existing prisons to be able to work as skilled, building construction labour on the new prison site 3) Create new job opportunities for boatmen or aircrafts to be able to bring supplies to and from the new prison facilities
...
We really need to look at more effective and humane ways of preventing persons from wanting to stray off the straight and narrow path. And ideally we need to foster a better society based on togetherness where there are contributing members who believe in playing an active role role in our much better tomorrow.
Rise up Bahamaland!
CatIslandBoy 7 years, 1 month ago
Poor Picewell, trying to remain relevant, yet rude, got what he deserved. I hope he understands that he will be long gone in the next election cycle.
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 1 month ago
So will the underperforming Ministry of National Security. They should just fight like Keod and Kenyatta so that they have some legacy in the house. Otherwise they will be forgotten as both leave much to be desired in their performances.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 1 month ago
Hubert Ingraham had fixed the RBPF using British standards ....... But Perry has found a way to promote every crony since 2002 ...... Now the government has to send home the deadbeats, the re-hirees, and the over 25 years/over 55 aged crew who have nothing else to offer ...... That should get rid of at least 200 of the senior khaki folks and 500 of the black & blue crew who work month to month, collect pension and gratuity etc.
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