A British police officer, who previously headed up the London Metropolitan Police Service’s specialist firearms unit, has been appointed as Cayman’s new assistant commissioner of police.
The Police Service Commission, which is chaired by Governor Jane Owen, announced on 4 Sept. that Robert Atkin will take on the role.
“Being appointed as Assistant Commissioner of Police for the RCIPS is an honour and privilege,” Atkin said in a statement. “I look forward to working across the RCIPS units to ensure our staff have the absolute best leadership, support and care so they can do their best job for our communities.”
Atkin joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1990 as a police cadet, and became a constable in 1994, according to a biography provided by the Police Service Commission. He has worked in a variety of specialist areas, including road policing, uniform response, community policing, and firearms unit. He has also been responsible for policing of London Heathrow and London City airports.
In 2018, he was appointed commander for the Met’s Specialist Firearms Department, responsible for the response to all firearms-related incidents and high threat incidents in London. He subsequently served in other high-level roles before becoming directorate head at the City of London Police, where he was responsible for all uniform policing operations and departments, including firearms, traffic, response, communities, and public order.
In 2014, he was awarded an MBE for his work supporting families of police officers killed in the line of duty.
According to his biography, Atkin has also led the response for a number of innovative operations at the City of London, particularly increasing the safety of female night-time workers.
Atkin continues to be an active strategic firearms commander, as well as a CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material) gold commander and a counter-terrorism security advisor.
The appointment was welcomed by Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton, who said he looked forward to working closely with Atkin on achieving strategic policing goals.
“We have much work to do, and ACP Atkin’s experience and expertise will no doubt offer fresh perspectives on how we can tackle the tasks ahead of us,” he said.
Owen described the new appointee as a “highly experienced and capable candidate” who brings “years of policing expertise in the UK to support us in delivering on our objectives here in the Cayman Islands”.
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There is no reason given for bringing in a British officer as an Asst. Commissioner when a decision has been made to promote a well qualified Caymanian as Commissioner.