Kurt Walton will take over the reins of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, making him the second Caymanian to lead the law enforcement body.
The Police Service Commission announced Walton’s appointment as commissioner of police-designate Wednesday morning in a press release, saying that he is expected to take up the appointment later this year.
Walton, who has served as deputy police commissioner since 2016 and has 36-and-a-half years of service under his belt, is the second Caymanian in the top job, after Buel Braggs.
Braggs was police commissioner for two years, before he retired in September 2005.
Since his retirement the post has been filled by a number of foreign officers: Stuart Kernohan, from 2005-2008; David Baines, from 2009 to 2016; and Derek Byrne, who has served since 2016.
Walton: ‘I have a very clear vision to keep Cayman safe’
Government extended Byrne’s contract by four more years back in 2019 and he was set to demit office at the end of September this year..
The Police Service Commission said that Walton was appointed following an open recruitment process, and before taking up the post Walton will participate in professional meetings with various policing bodies within the UK, and also represent the Cayman Islands at the British Overseas Territories Commissioners of Police Meeting.
“This period concludes with a comprehensive handover with the current Commissioner of Police, Mr. Derek Byrne,” the commission said.
Byrne, the statement said, has been pivotal in the succession planning of commissioner-designate Walton over the past few years, including sending him to the most recent training at the US Federal Bureau of Investigations Law Enforcement Executive Development in Virginia.
Walton, in the press release, said he was “immensely grateful for the trust and confidence shown in me to lead an organisation with so many hard working and inspiring people.
“I am under no illusion what is required of Commissioner of Police and understand the tremendous responsibility and accountability that comes with the role. I have always given my utmost best in serving my country and the people of the Cayman Islands. I am passionate about policing and it’s been that way over the past 36½ years. I have a very clear vision and that is to Keep Cayman Safe and to do so, I must understand the threats,” he said.
Walton, who was born in Cayman Brac, said he recognises the importance of partnerships in this vision and will continue fostering existing and new relationships locally, regionally and internationally.
“Along with my senior leadership team and our staff we will continue with our ongoing efforts towards a modernised police service and coast guard which delivers quality services to the people we serve,” he said.
Governor Jane Owen, who is the chair of the Police Service Commission, said she was “delighted” to announce Walton’s appointment as commissioner-designate of RCIPS.
“He brings a wealth of experience to this important role, and I very much look forward to working with him at this crucial time as we drive to keep Cayman safe and secure,” she said in the release.
She added that she was immensely grateful to Byrne for his leadership of RCIPS since 2016.
“His commitment to both operational response and strategic planning has built a Police Service ready to meet the challenges of the coming years. Mr. Byrne’s dedication to the people of Cayman, his tenacity in fighting crime and his guidance of all the men and women in RCIPS is a strong legacy from which we will all benefit,” Owen said.
Byrne, commenting on Walton’s appointment, said he “warmly” welcomed the news.
“I have worked with Kurt for the past seven years where he has been an outstanding, experienced and committed colleague. As a local officer and having served the Cayman Islands all of his policing career, rising through the ranks, he has a unique understanding of the policing requirements of the Cayman Islands. I wish Kurt well as he moves to take on this new demanding and challenging role,” he said.
Byrne added that Walton will succeed with “the support of the Government and the support of the community. I wish Kurt great success in the years ahead as he takes the RCIPS from good to great”.
Walton is married to Merredith and they have two children, Liam and Adelaide.
As commissioner, Walton will also be the chief officer of the Office of the Commissioner of Police, which comprises the Cayman Islands Coast Guard in addition to the RCIPS.
Walton career highlights
Walton has been a police officer with the RCIPS since 1986, with a career focused on serious crime investigations and border defence through the disruption of narcotics and firearms trafficking.
As deputy police commissioner since 2016, Walton has strategic responsibility for all policing and security, and overseeing operational policing, inclusive of all units within the detective and uniform branches of the service. Prior to that, Walton served as chief superintendent from 2013 to 2016, and superintendent in charge of specialist proactive operations from 2007 to 2013.
Walton completed his senior investigators training in Barbados in 1997. From 2002 to 2008 Walton attended the Truman Bodden Law School (University of Liverpool) while working fulltime, and earned his bachelor of law degree (LLB Hons). He also has a post-graduate certificate in criminal justice and police management from the University of Leicester in the UK.
After training in the International Command Programme in the UK in 2007, Walton became certified as a Strategic Gold Firearms Commander in 2011.
In 2014, he returned to the UK and completed a Strategic Command Course which focuses on executive leadership training for assistant and chief constable positions. Additionally, Walton has completed his Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command Training (MAGIC / UK) and a national security course delivered by Sandhurst academics of the Department of Defence & International Affairs, Faculty of Leadership, Security & Warfare.
Walton represented the RCIPS at the BOTCOP meetings on more than one occasion, and having represented the RCIPS at the Association of Caribbean Commissioners Police Conference.
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