The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 920 Royal Bahamas Police Force officers of all ranks received promotions this month.

Police Commissioner Paul Rolle yesterday provided a breakdown of those promotions in response to a question from The Tribune about the awards to officers.

Last week, Police Press Liaison Audley Peters confirmed promotion letters had been handed out.

“We had a Deputy Commissioner, let’s start at the top, right, and two Assistant Commissioners,” Commissioner Rolle said of the promotional exercise during the Office of the Prime Minister’s weekly press briefing.

“It’s Deputy Commissioner, let me make it straight because I hear people saying senior deputy, it’s deputy. We have two Deputy Commissioners and Clayton Fernander, I put him responsible for crime, (to) assist me with crime and Mackey, Deputy Commissioner (Loretta) Mackey, will focus on discipline, the internal discipline of the force so (the) two of them work in tandem.

“We had 25 Chief Superintendents, two Assistant Commissioners, which is, you have seen Bernard Bonamy Jr and Mrs Dellareece Ferguson. Bonamy has responsibility for Family Island operations, Family Island policing, which is very big and Mrs Ferguson has responsibility for HR and training, which is also a huge feat and, like I said, also the 25 Chief Superintendents.

“There were 60 Superintendents, 87 Assistant Superintendents and 98 Inspectors and 325 Sergeants and 325 Corporals and I need another hundred constables to go in training, okay.”

Based on his breakdown, there were about 923 officers promoted.

Back in October, Commissioner Rolle suggested that promotions were in the pipeline.

Speaking on the Royal Bahamas Police Force programme “Cop Talk”, Commissioner Rolle was asked about promotions.

At the time he said: “All of my police officers, colleagues, just to say thank you—not yet. I heard some rumblings about some things, but we’re not ready yet— soon.

“I know several of you are anxiously waiting for your promotions.”

He continued: “Let them know that I spoke with the Minister of Public Service this morning and I believe he’s watching.

“I kinda said to them, to nudge them to get my stuff, so we can move forward, but I know, tell them we’re gonna have a good Christmas.

“I believe that.”