Dear Editor,
We as Police Officers and the Fire Department are very disappointed and upset with the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police and the government. The Police and Firemen have been suffering for much too long now.
The authorities want the work done but nothing to do the work. No refund for Medical bills, no uniform, no proper housing etc. etc The morale is low and it ashamed it has to be that way.
First off starts with uniforms. Currently only some officers are able to receive uniforms, while others in need have to continue wearing their less than perfect police gear. How can this be right when other government agencies have been receiving new uniforms and the Police and Fire Department which is considered essential service cannot get the required uniforms needed to perform our duties to perfection.
Usually, Police officers and the Fire Department are allotted two uniforms annually; but, over the past decade, this has become an issue. My question as a Police officer is if we are important to society as government says why we aren’t treated with some level of respect like the other agencies of government.
Second, currently the Police and Fire Department especially currently we are short staff. While we can understand that the government right now is supposedly tight with finances, how can it be that the Police and especially the Fire Department needs more persons to staff both agency’s properly and we cannot get the much needed staff required to efficiently serve the needs of the nation but currently school children says an election is on the horizon and other government agencies are hiring person like crazy but both the Police and Fire Department were told no because the government is cash strapped.
AS things stand both the Police and especially the Fire Department is on skeleton staff, and holidays for officer at both agencies are planned very diligently due to staff shortages. Some officers have had their vacation and retirement but off due to the shortage in staff. A couple weeks ago in the summer on ABS Television/Radio the Fire Chief Mr. Elvis Weaver was pleading for more Fire Officers and up to this day the government has not acted with any urgency to address our plight but other agencies of the government we are told are hiring like crazy and we are just as important as they are to the country. We as Police and Fire officers are very disappointed in this development.
Lastly, the world right now is in a health crisis. Currently what obtains at the Police and Fire Department is cleaning and hygiene supplies for officers are scarce and non avaliable at times. The officers of both agencies are human being as such should be treated as human beings, and their lives matters like anyone else’s. Police and Fire Officer are currently working in a very unsafe working environment which is also dangerous to the general public, since persons visit the stations to make reports and can be exposed to hazards.
Some member of the public who have come to various stations across the island to make reports have been amazed how officers of both agency work in such atrocious conditions and commend us for the dedication we have shown to serve and protect them. That is how bad officers of both agencies have it and yet still we go to work to protect the citizens of the country. With the above beings said, will it take a bad health scare for the government to provide adequate cleaning and hygiene supplies for officers of both agencies so that they can be in a safe and healthy environment and perform their duties and serve the nation efficiently.
In spite of the above challenges mentioned, officers of both agencies will not be daunted and will continue to protect and serve the nation as required. We as officers hope that above issues mentioned will be address as soon as possible, because there has been talk that if these issues aren’t very soon addressed certain actions will have to be taken in order to get action to address the dire plight of officers of both agencies.
Commendation must be given to Miss Harris, the chairperson of the Police Welfare Association for bringing some of the officers plight’s to the general public and governments attention a few weeks ago on your news portal.
Officer T.P
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It’s a shame Mr.benjamin….
Sadly, many of you voted for the ABLP so you have to take what you get.
I can ever understand, how gov. never have no money when monies spending on all kind of stupid projects that make no no since. Lord how one set of people can be so wicket,all the police want is to be treated like human beings in any moder society insurance is provided to law enforcement officers with other tools etc to execute there duties. Just can’t understand why the police officers can not stand up for there basic rights ,how they become so spineless
I understand about uniforms and other concerns you have mentioned. This have been plaguing the force for a very long time. Short staff? The Force is not short staffed. The Government employs over 800 policemen and firefighters which makes up the organization. Let me touch on the regular police (as commonly called). The upper heads of the Force from ASP to the commissioner has yet to wrap their heads around the concept of how to manage their human recourse efficiently. Police deployment is poor and shabby within the organization. No matter how many batch of 50 police officers graduate the citizens of Antigua And Barbuda will never get value from the Police Organization for their taxes. This force is like a an 8 to 4 functional organization where as almost every inspector, sergeant and senior sergeant leaves work at 4 and at time long before 4 often leaving corporals and constables (often time one corporal and 2 or 3 constables to operate at a station to fight crimes at night). Inspectors and sergeants can investigate and respond to reports too! They are part of the organization! Get them out of the offices where it take 3 persons to write one letter and let them out on the streets around the country to stop the plague of thievery presently affecting the citizens. Nothing is being done to arrest the situation. Why? Because the human recourses isn’t being deployed adequately and utilized properly. To many day workers in offices where these jobs could be delegated to the normal citizens. Big strong man with balls typing letters. Put the police on the streets night and day, especially at nights and St John’s where business owners are now fed up! Put the inspectors and sergeants to do some real police work. Some of them need to learn on the job. The corporals and constables will teach them policing. Hands on training. That’s what the AG and cabinet needs to look into. Why the police organization is not deploying the human recourses adequately to curb the string of breaking happening every night in St John’s and around Antigua. The thieves are having a field day and night. That’s what needs looking into.
Amen.
one big tinking dutty choops
I understand about uniforms and other concerns you have mentioned. This have been plaguing the force for a very long time. Short staff? The Force is not short staffed. The Government employs over 800 policemen and firefighters which makes up the organization. Let me touch on the regular police (as commonly called). The upper heads of the Force from ASP to the commissioner has yet to wrap their heads around the concept of how to manage their human recourse efficiently. Police deployment is poor and shabby within the organization. No matter how many batch of 50 police officers graduate the citizens of Antigua And Barbuda will never get value from the Police Organization for their taxes. This force is like a an 8 to 4 functional organization where as almost every inspector, sergeant and senior sergeant leaves work at 4 and at time long before 4 often leaving corporals and constables (often time one corporal and 2 or 3 constables to operate at a station to fight crimes at night). Inspectors and sergeants can investigate and respond to reports too! They are part of the organization! Get them out of the offices where it take 3 persons to write one letter and let them out on the streets around the country to stop the plague of thievery presently affecting the citizens.
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