A sweeping overhaul of The Barbados Police Service is underway as part of the government’s response to mounting public anxiety over violent crime, with Prime Minister Mia Mottley signalling urgent structural reforms while warning that law enforcement alone cannot reverse current trends.
Mottley was prompted to speak on the issue as a resident raised concerns about the police service during the Ideas Forum on Wednesday. He argued that the force, in its current structure, was not equipped to manage a rapidly changing Barbados and increasingly brazen crimes.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley.(Photo Credit: Barbados TODAY)
The resident, who said he had experience in law enforcement, cautioned that patterns seen elsewhere in the Caribbean were now emerging locally and called for a long-term reinvention of the police.
“I don’t believe that The Barbados Police Service is equipped in its present structure to manage the state of crime on the island,” he said, adding that reform would require new techniques, greater support and improved compensation to attract and retain officers.
In response, Mottley said the process of modernising the force was already under way, noting that the institution must be brought in line with current demands.
“We are very much in the process of the restructuring of The Barbados Police Service,” she said, adding that its systems and operations must be fully aligned with the realities of the 21st century.
She indicated that the government has been working in recent months to strengthen the organisation, including addressing challenges related to staffing, retention and internal capacity.
Mottley pointed to earlier decisions to regrade detectives and Special Branch officers to address disparities in pay, noting that the move was necessary to prevent the loss of experienced personnel. A broader reclassification exercise across the public service is also expected, with police among several critical sectors identified for adjustment.
At the same time, she said reforms are targeting structural weaknesses within the organisation, including the absence of key administrative functions.
“You can’t have an organisation of 1 300 people plus the non-police people for whom you’re responsible and not have a proper director of human resources,” Mottley said. “You can’t have a $200m budget roughly and not have a proper director of financial services.”
The prime minister also outlined plans to modernise policing districts and expand infrastructure, noting that existing district boundaries date back decades and no longer reflect population realities. New and upgraded stations are planned for several areas, while technology upgrades are also being pursued to improve coordination among emergency services.
But while outlining the reforms, Mottley stressed that institutional change alone would not be sufficient to address the problem of crime.
“The major… lifting that has to be done if we are to be successful in this country is… us,” she said, urging Barbadians to take greater responsibility within their homes and communities.
She warned that access to illegal firearms and a willingness by some individuals to ignore suspicious activity were contributing to the current situation, and called for greater public cooperation with law enforcement.
“What cannot happen is people seeing things and doing nothing, saying nothing and then being surprised at the outcome,” she said.
Mottley acknowledged that fear may prevent some from coming forward, but said there are avenues available to assist those who wish to report criminal activity.
She also placed the issue within a wider regional context, noting that several Caribbean countries have experienced similar challenges in recent days, pointing to what she described as a broader systemic issue.
Despite the current concerns, the prime minister maintained that the situation remains manageable, provided there is sustained and coordinated action.
“This is not yet bad enough that we can’t pull it back,” she said, adding that success will depend on a combination of firm law enforcement, responsive policy and adequate resources, alongside active citizen participation.
Mottley stressed that her administration continues to invest in strengthening the police service, including recruitment, retention, training and operational improvements, but said meaningful change will take time.
“A cruise ship can’t just turn so like a speedboat… it takes space and time,” she said, noting that restoring a sense of security will require both institutional reform and a shift in public behaviour.
“If we are to be successful in pulling it back, it is not dependent on the police alone… it is dependent on the people in this country,” she said.
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