Please Register / Login to take part in discussions about the Virgin Islands.
In an article today in the V.I. Daily News they described to V.I.P.D's efforts to add more officers:
"Senators also asked about the department's effort to beef up the force.
Police Department recruiter Emmet Hansen II said 280 applicants were given the entrance exam. Of the 280, only 80 passed the test. Of the 80 who passed, 66 failed the background checks. Only 14 of the 280 actually moved on to the next phase, Hansen said."
I don't believe the P.D. is deliberately lame...they just don't have much to work with. In the mean time we need to find a way to preserve a peaceful existence in "paradise". Any suggestions?
-Khaos
The Daily News comes online in the afternoon and anyone interested can read the whole article along with today's Editorial which addresses the same issue. There is also an excellent Editorial in today's "Avis"but unfortunately that newspaper isn't on line.
Recruiting and Retention of Police Officers with low pay is a hard road to travel. If the people who make the decisions on pay and benefits take a look at comp departments, look for Federal grants and subsidies available to the USVI you might be able to draw from a larger pool of people. The United State Military has a transition assistance program for Young people just getting off of active duty. If the USVI PD contacts DOD and advise them what their looking for, it might help.
Of the 280, only 80 passed the test. Of the 80 who passed, 66 failed the background checks. Only 14 of the 280 actually moved on to the next phase, Hansen said."
That's just amazing!!! Why would people with background problems even apply to be a police officer? They have to know going in that there would be a problem.
Connie,
It's the same in education. I can't tell you how may substitute teachers apply only to have a red flag come up on their background check. I think it's the same in any field. They all try.
Connie,
Law Enforcement background checks are not as simple as a criminal history check. They are far more intense (at least in my experience). Someone who hasn't been in law enforcement in the past may think they will have no problem with a background, only to find out they don't meet department standards. I have a friend (no not me, its really a friend) who failed a background because he was driving a friends car to his cabin for him, got pulled over, and received a ticket for driving without insurance. Even though it wasn' this car and he didn't know the car was uninsured he was still deemed unfit for the position. It's also not uncommon for someone to fail a background check with one department, and pass it with another department. 66 of 80 is a really high failure rate though.... I would guess in the states about 30-40% fail.
