Morale in the Royal Cayman Islands Police is good in the opinion of Commissioner Stuart Kernohan.
Speaking Friday in the wake of the apparent departure of some experienced RCIP officers, Mr. Kernohan said that, as a matter of professional principle, he would not comment on personnel matters
‘We have many fine officers in the RCIP at all ranks,’ he said.
‘I will do everything in my power to stop good officers leaving the service.
‘Unfortunately, some wish to leave for differing reasons and I don’t always have control over that.
‘But again, I will do my best to keep good officers in the service for as long as possible,’ he said.
‘It is in the nature of police officers that some react readily to change and others are not quite so adaptable,’ he said.
‘I have spoken to many officers since my arrival and in my opinion the morale in the RCIP is good.
‘I have been delighted with the efforts of all the officers in circumstances where our resources have been stretched to cover all the needs.
‘They have done an outstanding job,’ he said.
Mr. Kernohan was speaking on the day he issued a public message of thanks to all his staff for the way they had dealt with recent extra stresses and demands, including security for the Sheldon Brown trial and ‘other issues of national importance.’
‘Targeting of crime by proactive detectives has continued throughout this period alongside more reactive investigations which have recently required their attention,’ he said in his tribute to his staff.
‘We address all priorities in a structured way according to our plan and it is the very nature of policing that requires a flexible approach to the needs of the Cayman Islands,’ he added.
Mr. Kernohan said he had taken up his job just after last year’s serious aggravated burglary incident at Patrick’s Island which sparked a security scare in government circles.
Police said there had been some evidence that the offenders had been intending to rob a high ranking government official.
Mr. Kernohan said a number of trained officers had been allocated to the investigation and to important national security issues as a result of that.
‘But our desire to target crime and drugs has never diminished,’ he said.
‘It just so happens the priority over the last few months has had to lie in issues of national security,’ he said.
‘The reality is that in a small organisation like the RCIPS, such events will mean the redeployment of specialist officers to perform much needed tasks from time to time.’
‘We have had some pro-active detectives targeting criminals but we also have to respond to other investigations that require to be done,’ he told the Compass.
‘With the release of resources from extra ordinary duties, officers will return to a more focused and proactive attack on serious crimes such as drugs, burglaries and violence.
‘Some people may have the wrong impression, that we were not targeting drugs,’ Mr. Kernohan said.
‘We are still gathering intelligence and developing targets and the uniform and CID officers have still been making excellent arrests,’ he said
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