Every year, members of the Royal Barbados Police Force are called upon to make personal sacrifices in order to cope with the increased demands for police services.

The extent to which police officers enjoy each Christmas Season is therefore contingent upon their ability to balance work with pleasure.

In responding to these issues we were successful in agitating for and realizing the introduction of new legislation, placing a number of persons before the Law Courts, setting up new departments, and introducing new systems and processes. It is with this same vigor and sense of responsibility that we approach the Christmas season and maximized all available resources to police the island and to date crime trends in Barbados are showing decreased when compared to last year.

I wish at this time to say special thanks to:

• all members of the Force for their contribution and sacrifice during the year despite the challenges that we faced;
• the families of policemen and women for being supportive to these officers while on the job;
• all governmental and non-governmental organisations that supported the Force by way of sentiments of encouragement and financial support for training;
• all sections of the media for maintaining that very important link between the police and the public;
• members of the various publics for supporting us by way of:
• supplying information that assisted in the solving of crime
• writing letters to compliment us
• making complaints to ensure the police officers are kept in line with established procedures and protocols
• working with us in ways that are non-confrontational and demonstrating to the world that Barbados remains a safe destination to visit and invest;
• all visitors to our island who showed appreciation for Law Enforcement efforts and offer ideas and opinions from different cultures.

During the course of this year the Royal Barbados Police Force has demonstrated commitment and dedication to duty under trying circumstances and we remain committed to fulfilling the mandate encapsulated in our motto which is “to serve, protect & reassure.”

As we look towards to the year 2014, my hope and prayer is that greater levels of tolerance would prevail in our society; empathy and love would be guiding factors as we relate one to the other and ultimately, reduced level of crime will be realized.

On behalf of the Senior Administration, Gazetted Officers, Inspectors, Rank and File and other members of the Royal Barbados Police Force, I take this opportunity to express Christmas greetings to all and best wishes for the Year 2014.