Kurt Walton has given his oath to office and been formally appointed as the new commissioner of the the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.
The former deputy commissioner, who has worked for the police for 36 years, is the second Caymanian to ever take on the top job after Buel Braggs from 2003 to 2005.
Former Police Commissioner Derek Byrne spent his last day at the helm on Friday, 29 Sept., and officially handed over the baton on Sunday, 1 Oct., according to a press release.
A change-of-command ceremony celebrated both the achievements of the outgoing police commissioner and welcomed and congratulated Walton.
The Sunday event featured highlights of Byrne’s seven-year tenure with a focus on how he modernised the service.
Byrne told attendees: “The achievements I made in the Cayman Islands within the seven years that I was commissioner of police, far surpassed the many years that I have spent and worked elsewhere.
“The Cayman Islands is fortunate to have resources and capabilities that other parts of the world do not and so development has proven to be far less difficult.”
He said that working with Walton in the service over the years has allowed him to see the talent and capabilities that he has.
“It will be exciting to see what new ideas he will bring to the organisation as commissioner of police. I know that he will excel and that the OCP is in excellent hands,” he added.
Byrne then passed over the baton – a 1952 historical artefact which has been used as a symbol of passing on the responsibilities of the role from one commissioner to another.
Uniformed members of the senior command team joined the former and new commissioner on stage to show their support.
Walton told those gathered of his intentions as the new commissioner of police and spoke fondly of the departing commissioner.
“Commissioner Byrne served his last day in office as the commissioner of police on Friday,” he said, according to the press release.
“He could have taken a half day, as would have been his right, but he didn’t, he stayed the entire day completing the hand over process that we have been undertaking for the last few weeks now.
“His willingness to do what he can to make this transition process as smooth as possible for me, speaks to the kind of man he is and the leader that we have had for the last seven years.
“The Cayman Islands will always welcome you with open arms.”
Walton presented Byrne with a gift – a commissioned piece of art entitled ‘Innovator’ – on behalf of the Office of the Commissioner of Police.
Following the ceremony, the attendees were invited to say their final goodbyes to Byrne and congratulate Walton.
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