In 2011, under the leadership of then Prime Minister Stephenson King of the United Workers Party (UWP) and Acting Police Commissioner Vernon Francois, Saint Lucia launched Operation Restore Confidence (ORC) in response to an alarming surge in violent crime and gun violence.
King issued a stern public warning to criminals: “There will be no hiding place for anyone,” empowering the police to take decisive action. The operation led to the formation of the so-called “black squad,” which conducted raids on multiple crime hotspots across the country.
Twelve men were fatally shot by police during the operation. These deaths, however, drew scrutiny from the United States. In its 2011 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Saint Lucia, the US State Department cited “unlawful police killings” as one of the most serious human rights concerns. As a result, the US government invoked the Leahy Law, cutting off all support for police training.
In 2014, the Kenny Anthony administration authorised an investigation into ORC and the alleged police killings. The probe, led by the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), concluded in 2015. Summarising the findings, Dr Anthony revealed that investigators had determined “a number of shootings were carried out by police officers but were recorded in murder statistics as being committed by unknown assailants”.
Anthony also made a damning observation: the report suggested that “the crime problem in Saint Lucia is facilitated by corrupt politicians, government officials, business figures, and police officers”.
These incidents tarnished the reputation of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), which had already faced well-documented challenges for years. Even after five officers were later cleared in connection with ORC, the episode remains a lingering shadow over the RSLPF, the political leadership involved, and Saint Lucia as a whole.
Fast forward to 2024: Saint Lucia recorded 77 homicides last year and has already seen at least 40 this year alone. The island is undeniably grappling with another major crime wave. But unlike in 2011, when the RSLPF appeared to enjoy strong public support, today, confidence in the force has plummeted, eroded by internal scandals and damning revelations.
Recent allegations suggest police and customs officers may be complicit in facilitating the importation of illegal drugs. The February theft of an M16 rifle from the police armoury by an officer further undermined trust. Then came the suspicious death of a K-9 unit dog credited with aiding multiple drug busts.
And then, Police Commissioner Verne Garde dropped a bombshell: critical evidence in two major cases had vanished from the police evidence room. One was key evidence in the 2018 murder of Kimberly De Leon; the other was the noose allegedly used in the 2013 death of Shakadan Daniel, who died while in police custody at the Micoud Police Station.
Adding to the outrage, Garde disclosed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had declined to pursue three cases of alleged sexual misconduct by a senior police officer after reviewing the files.
These revelations have sparked fury among victims’ families and the public. Then, in what felt like another gut punch, Commissioner Garde announced he would be going on leave immediately after delivering these disclosures, a move we consider ill-advised, further eroding public trust.
We believe it is time for National Security Minister and Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Crime Prevention Minister Jeremiah Norbert, and Police Commissioner Verne Garde to announce a new, full-scale Operation Restore Confidence to rebuild faith in the police force. Civil society must also raise its voice – organisations like the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce and the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association can no longer remain silent on what is clearly a threat to national security from within the institutions meant to protect us.
A collapse in trust in law enforcement risks pushing citizens toward taking the law into their own hands, civil disobedience, or worse – anarchy. Restoring confidence in the police is both urgent and imperative. There is no better time to act than now.
Let the clean-up begin.
The so called ‘human rights lawyers’, in actuality, they are ‘perpetrators rights lawyers’, embolden the criminals. That notwithstanding, two things really bother me as a strong supporter of the police: the missing evidence in the cases of Daniel and DeLeon, and what appears to be the neutralisation of the police dog. This really is frightening, to say the least! But I absolutely agree with the narrative here, ORC 2.0.
Great article. Well articulated and timely.
Launch and Investigation into unlawful searches, abuse of power and police brutality cause y’all not serious…that’s why police get hate these days….
We are pouring money into the police force with little or no results. The decline in gun violence, illegal possession of guns, homicide, violent crimes, domestic abuse are data points that should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the police force in protecting the safety and security of St. Lucians. Some draconian measures need to be put in place along with social interventions to address this pivotal issue. We definitely do not want another Haiti.
the time for playing is over. Get the corrupt officials out and give the criminals a wake-up call. The laws and punishment for corruption needs to be more drastic. seize garnish accounts and more. Make examples
Confidence restoration is also needed in our politicians and political system.