Dutch Quarter:--- Minister of Justice Roland Duncan and several members of his cabinet inaugurated the Justice Academy and the first community police outlet in Dutch Quarter on Friday afternoon.
Several Members of the Council of Ministers and Members of Parliament from the Justice Committee attended the ceremony. They include Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams, Minister of Health and Labour Cornelius de Weever, Minister of Tourism and Transportation Romeo Pantophlet, President of Parliament Rudolph Samuel, and Members of Parliament Jules James and Patrick Illidge. Among those celebrating the historic moment on Friday were the Attorney General of St. Maarten Taco Stein and the first batch of community police officers that are currently working around the island. Other invited guests were Chief Commissioner of Police Peter de Witte, Commandant of the VKS Jean Illidge, and several representatives of the House of Detention of Pointe Blanche.
The leader that is spearheading the community police project Commissioner of Police Carl John in his remarks told the gathering that he was chosen to deliver the address because he waited some 26 years to send a strong message to his professors in Curacao who told him that he would not be a good police officer because he was too friendly. "When I got my first evaluation as a police officer, my instructor said that I would not be good police officer because I was too friendly with the community. I want my instructors in Curacao to know that the police cannot maintain order by themselves, we need the community to do so. I waited a very long time to say this. It has been too long that the community of St. Maarten has been left out when it comes to the decision making. There is not enough done to involve the community. Seventy-two fines per month is not enough, right now we need to go to the root of the problems in order to eradicate crime." John called on the community of St. Maarten to work with the police so that they can get to the root of crime in order for them to eradicate it. "I can assure you that with the installation of the community police crime on St. Maarten will decrease tremendously by next year." John said that the thoughts of the police are good but the execution will take a lot more to eradicate crime on the island.
Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams congratulated the Minister of Justice for his accomplishment by having the first Justice Academy on the island. She also called on the members of the community to be involved and educate themselves at the institution.
Minister of Justice Roland Duncan thanked the Minister of Education for allowing him to use the Martin Luther King Jr. School since the building was not being used. The Minister also made clear that community policing was not his idea, it was something he met in the pipeline when he took office two years ago. Minister Duncan congratulated the police for their efforts and hard work because the community police officers already began to bear fruits with their labor. "Sometimes I abuse my workers and I give the Police Management Team a very hard time but this time they deserve the credit because I am not the one that initiated this project."
Minister Duncan told SMN News that it cost the Ministry of Justice some $40,000.00 to repair and furnish the building that now houses the Justice Academy and Community Police Center of Dutch Quarter. He also gave lots of credit to the prisoners who repainted the building and cleaned its surroundings free of cost. Minister Duncan also explained that the paperwork to fully operate the Justice Academy is not yet complete, he said his idea is to have a foundation run the institution and he is busy working on getting that done.
The Minister said the Justice Academy is already operational and the language of instruction will be English while Dutch will be a strong second language. He said his intention is to have all officers learn Spanish, French, and Creole so that they can properly deal with crime in the community. However, the latter languages will start later on when the institution is fully operational. The Minister said right now St. Maarten is working with the Miami Dade Police Academy and he also intends to work with the Hanze Hogeschool in the Netherlands. When asked by SMN News if the programs offered at the institution will be accredited, the Minister said all programs will be accredited because the certification the community police officers received was signed by him and the President of the Miami Dade Police Academy. Diplomas will be prepared by the St. Maarten Education Ministry and not an outside institution.
Click here to view more photos of the Inauguration Ceremony for the Justice Academy in Dutch Quarter.
