Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 09, 2018 (RSCNPF): Hearty congratulations are in order for Commissioner of Police Ian M. Queeley on his elevation to President of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP).
Commissioner Queeley was elected by an overwhelming majority of his colleagues to lead the organization. The election took place at the conclusion of the recently held 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference of the ACCP at the Montego Bay Convention Center in Jamaica from April 30-May 04, 2018. This achievement has made him the first Commissioner of Police from the Federation to hold this post in the thirty-three (33) years of existence of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.
In his acceptance speech, Commissioner Queeley expressed thanks to his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him to lead the organization at this critical time. He pledged to give of his best to ensure that the organization is positioned to take its rightful place as a leader and trendsetter among its peers. He also expressed gratitude to the out-going President, Commissioner Michael De Silva from the Bermuda Police Service, for his sterling contribution to the growth and development of the organization over the past two (2) years.
The ACCP was formally established in 1987 with intention of bringing Police Commissioners in the Caribbean together to network, exchange ideas and share best practices with the hope of reducing criminal activity within the region while, at the same time, improving the quality of service being delivered to its people.
Currently, the association has a membership of twenty-five (25) Commissioners from the English, French and Dutch-speaking Caribbean and negotiations are at an advanced stage to include Spanish-speaking countries such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
By virtue of Commissioner Queeley holding this position, he will automatically assume the post of International Vice-President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and will also chair the world regional arm of that Association.
He will preside over the implementation of the five-year Strategic Plan which was ratified and adopted at the Conference. The Plan has four (4) main areas of focus that were considered necessary if the ACCP is to make any real and meaningful impact in addressing the escalating crime and violence in the region, and improving the quality of life for Caribbean citizens. The focus areas are: (1) The reduction of Violent Crimes; (2) Border and Cyber Security; (3) Police Legitimacy; and (4) Business Improvement.
Additional outcomes include, but are not limited to: the operationalisation of secure platforms for Commissioners to discuss the current and emerging criminal trends in the region, as well as ways of addressing them by leveraging the use of technology; the establishment of sub-committees to lead on each focus area of the Strategic Plan in order to utilise the collective knowledge of the group and country experiences; and, the implementation of a revised strategy for the enhanced interaction with major sponsors and leading exhibitors.
The Conference ended on a high note with the Motorola Foundation Gala and Dinner. The Motorola Foundation, one part of the Motorola Group of Companies, is a major sponsor that continues to provide scholarships annually to children of Police Officers (at the tertiary level) in each Member State. These scholarships total in excess of USD $30,000 each year.
Commissioners are expected to meet again in early December at their inter-sessional to firm up the agenda for the 2019 edition of the AGM and Conference slated for the Cayman Islands.
