NASSAU, The Bahamas — A comprehensive review of the Royal Bahamas Police Force Reserves will be undertaken to ensure that the reserve force continues to function in a manner that is realistic, sustainable and in the best interests of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The review comes as the Reserves celebrate 45 years as an entity.
Minister of National Security, the Hon. O.A.T. “Tommy” Turnquest says the review will further ensure that the Force is being managed “in keeping with its standing and intent as a voluntary Force.”
Mr. Turnquest’s announcement came during the annual Royal Bahamas Police Force Reserves church service held Sunday, August 1, at Zion Baptist Church, East and Shirley Streets.
“The launch of the Royal Bahamas Police Reserves has been one of the most significant and effective voluntary groups that has ever been established in our Bahamas, and after 45 years of growth and development, a comprehensive review of the organisation and functioning of this important voluntary force will take place,” Mr. Turnquest said.
“(While) the Royal Bahamas Police Force bears full responsibility for policing in The Bahamas, we know that, for the past 45 years, the Force has been ably assisted in implementing its mandate by the excellent and dedicated service given by the Police Force Reserves,” Mr. Turnquest added.
Mr. Turnquest said the transformation of the Reserves from that of a small, voluntary group established in 1965 to assist in maintaining law and order in the country, to one that “today is 1,000-persons strong” is nothing short of “remarkable.”
Reservists, he said, bring a “broad scope” of added expertise to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, as their “regular vocations” consist of a variety of professions including healthcare, aviation, business and education, among others.
That broad scope of expertise, he said, has helped enhance and expand the Force’s work in the various communities throughout The Bahamas insofar as establishing counter initiatives to crime and criminality; forging partnerships with the Police and garnering support of the Neighbourhood Community Policing Programme.
“The broad scope of the knowledge and skills Reserves bring to policing, the wide range of areas in which they serve from traffic to forensics, station duty to Scenes of Crime Investigations and patrols, is commendable and greatly appreciated,” Mr. Turnquest said.
“Indeed, the Police Force is counting on the Reserves to do their part to implement the Force’s Crime Strategy. This puts many Reserve Officers on the front lines with Police Officers in taking decisive action to prevent crime and to apprehend and prosecute offenders, including violent offenders.”
Mr. Turnquest said the Reserves “being in step with” the goals and objectives of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and contributing to the implementation of the regular force’s crime-fighting strategies, has had a profound impact on crime-fighting in The Bahamas.
The National Security Minister applauded retired members of the regular force who have joined the Reserves in numerous capacities for their continued and dedicated service to their country.
“It is reassuring that former Police Officers who have served the Police Force with distinction are counted in the numbers of the Reserves. These former officers are bringing their individual and accumulated experience to the Reserves and we thank them for this,” Mr. Turnquest added.
