PM WELCOMES NEW POLICE OFFICERS

Thursday 10 February 2022

PM Philip BRAVE DAVIS Q.C.: I am delighted to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion with the recruits of A, B, C, D, and E, Squads 2021. Congratulations on having completed the twenty-four weeks of arduous training which have brought you to this moment. Even at the best of times policing is not for the faint of heart. I know that you have had to push yourselves athletically, academically, and emotionally.

Our country continues to face many challenges, some of them seemingly overwhelming and intractable. Crime and the fear of crime are real concerns for many people, as you join this valiant fight, rest assured that my government is committed to your cause. Your colleagues have been begging for reinforcement – and you are the answer to their pleas.

You are no longer a civilian, therefore you will be held to a higher standard, and scrutinized at every turn. This is a good thing, and officers of integrity should not fear it. In fact you should embrace it. Citizens have a right to have a say in how they are policed.
We should ‘police by consent’.

My profound gratitude to you for answering the call and stepping up to serve. On behalf of my government and people of the Bahamas, I congratulate you on your graduation and passing-out ceremony.