By: Trevor Constantine

Despite the various law enforcement methods employed by the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force in its bid to minimize the level of criminality within the society, the officers are still heavily dependent on divine intervention to achieve this objective. It has often been said that there is never a dull moment as it relates to the operation of the force, whose members work tirelessly under insurmountable pressure, to bring the myriad of cases to some degree of satisfactory closure in the face of complexities and adversities.

There are several functions held by the police including the discouragement of criminal activity through high visibility policing. The officers are expected to deal with diverse and sometimes volatile situations that may include their intervention in a domestic dispute or the interception of criminal behaviour in a hostile territory.  

 
It is undoubtedly a job that requires a considerable level of bravery on the part of the committed men and women who serve in the organization. The policy of the force dictates that it is mandatory of a police officer to intervene in an activity that is in violation of our laws, albeit being off-duty.
Another area that needs attention from the police perspective is their relationship with the public which serves as a catalyst for collaborative work. The police continue to strive to intensify that bond by way of community policing which has now become a global initiative. They are hopeful that this implementation will go a long way in improving deviant behaviour, which is, without a doubt, a social fact and concerns us almost as much as it does social psychologists.
     
The officers are cognizant of the fact that their personal protection and guidance are dependent on the grace and mercy of the Almighty God. This belief was manifested in the attendance of a church service at The Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Roman Catholic Church in Vieux-Fort, on Sunday the 23rd of January, 2011, which was the commencement of a week of prayer for the officers.

Several units which were led by the Royal Saint Lucia Police Band paraded the streets of Vieux-Fort in vast numbers, before making their actual entrance into the church. The service commenced about 9:30am and was officiated by Fr. Mark Owen who is the parish priest for the community.

Prior to the homily, Acting Commissioner of Police, Vernon Francois, thanked the officers for turning out in large numbers to attend the service and also expressed his gratitude to the public for their continued support to the police. He was also optimistic of the enhancement of the relationship between the police and the public, particularly in their collaborative bid to tackle the crime situation.
Fr. Owen focused his sermon on unity which he said plays a significant role in the formation of groups and organizations. He stated unequivocally, that the disintegration of the police force will hinder its effectiveness and earnestly urged members to work in harmony in order to accomplish the daunting and gargantuan task. He also appealed to the congregation to render assistance to the police anytime their help is needed or requested. A plea for prayer sessions was also requested of the congregation by the priest on behalf of the officers.
     
After the service ended, the officers paraded to the Vieux-Fort Police Station in preparation for the scheduled recreational activities at Sandy Beach, Vieux-Fort which also involved family members of police officers.
The prayer sessions continued as planned with various church ministers making their contribution. The topics discussed by the two guest speakers during the week, were didactic in tone and ethical in nature. The emphasis was placed on leadership and ethics which was the focal point of Tuesday night’s discussion by Pastor Timothy Robinson.  Another dynamic speaker was Pastor Nestor Ogilvie of Grenada who exhorted the officers to constantly call upon God’s intervention in the battle against crime.

Pastor Ogilvie is also a former member of the Grenada Police Force where he served as Commissioner of Police. This session ended with a repertoire of songs of praise which was dominated by the police recruits attached to the Police Training Academy at La Toc, Castries.

Thursday night’s event somewhat culminated the week of prayer, in the form of an anointing service which was held at Bethel Tabernacle at San Souci, Castries. The programme coordinator, Corporal Sylvester Joseph extended his sincere thanks to members of the public who supported the police during the week of prayer and appealed to them to continue working in collaboration with the officers with a view of making St.Lucia a safer place.

	Officers in Procession in Church (top)
	Recruits on Parade after Church Service