Leadership Gap Hurts Law Enforcement
Guest Opinion by J. J. Estemac
The recent trial of a police captain, a police sergeant and a civilian in district court revealed some disturbing facts. Though it is not new, the fact is that the police department, as so many other law enforcement agencies of our government lacks adequate leadership. We the residents, the taxpayers, need to demand better accountability from our elected and appointed public servants.
Police Commissioners come, Police Commissioners go and the conditions within the Department remain, administration after administration. We have the head of the executive branch, the Governor, where the buck stops as far as the accounting of the executive branch. We have the legislative branch with oversight responsibility over the other two branches of government. The two branches have failed in their fiduciary responsibility for the people of the Virgin Islands.
How long the police department has had a sub standard forensic and evidence unit. The physical plant of the principal police headquarters needs upgrading for some years, but we only hear the politicians talk about increasing salary, purchase of more vehicles. Yet there is very little accountability for those vehicles and their maintenance. Have you not noticed on bright sunny days the dirty appearance of the police vehicles? Many of these vehicles are assigned to particular officers and yet there seems to be no incentive or requirement to keep the vehicles clean.
What about the physical appearance of the officers themselves? One would think that a “paramilitary” organization such as the police the officers would appear uniform in their attire. As I observe the variety of apparel used by several officers, I said to myself, maybe carnival has arrived early in the police department. No uniformity, unprofessional appearance, where is the pride? Where is the leadership? Do the supervisors conduct inspections?
I suppose the Governor and his cabinet do not believe those details are important, both for the morale of the officers and the taxpayers they are employed to serve. But the Senators, those that stay in the territory long enough to observe what is happening in the community, do not seem concerned about what is happening in the law enforcement agencies of our government. Why do we elect these people anyway, what are they doing to deserve the big pay hike they gave themselves without any input from their employers, the taxpayers of the territory? They absent themselves from work anytime; when they do appear in session, they play games, like: I vote No but I meant Yes; or not voting and then yes I am voting, maybe. When they have testifiers they grandstand, pretending to show how much they don’t know about the subject being considered. Some begin a line of questioning only to leave it midair:” I ain’t going there, I better leave that alone.”
Coming back to the aforementioned trial, it appears that the defense did a better job than the prosecution. At least they seem to have succeeded in confusing the issues and the jury. The judge appeared to have allowed the defense to cloud the case with an unsubstantiated claim of a contract for murder, a conspiracy that none of the suspects were charged with, apparently a successful defense strategy. What about the prosecution who, according to my source, the local newspaper, apparently did not do a good job in screening the jurors? The prosecution had to drop several charges when the judge agreed with the defense there was insufficient evidence for the charges. These are from the District Attorney’s Office. I thought that was only common in the local Attorney General Office, it is more common than I expected.
There were uncontested charges or poorly refuted and still no conviction on those charges? There were several irregularities that the accused admitted and apparently they were not pursued. Anyhow, the prosecution said they will try again and the defense attorneys said they are ready to use the same strategy, it almost worked for them.
It is up to us, the taxpayers, and citizens of this territory to come together and demand better representation in government, in all three branches of government.
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Mr(?) Estemac, thank you for bringing up this topic. Your questions and concerns and responses to your own questions are so confusing, yet let me say I understand.
There are so many aspects of our process of law enforcement and administration thereof that are so cockeyed and bizarre, that I can actually follow your train of thought.
Let’s start from the base of a trial by jury. There are WAY too many residents of the USVI who do not register to vote for fear that they may be called upon for jury duty. Jury Duty is a problem when it comes to standing up for the right thing if there is fear of retaliation from a criminals friend watching the process. There is that same fear for the prosecution if they do not choose the “right” jury for the defense.
Now, go to the police department. Everyone knows how corrupt our department has been. BUT, does everyone know and see the incredible positive changes our beloved Chief Benta and his loyal staff are pushing forward? Not yet is my guess. We have been corrupt for so many years that the positive change is still unbelievable by the majority of our communities. When we watch Commissioner Francis on channel 6 tv here on St Croix, we see a man reading from a script written for him, as opposed to him speaking from his heart for the rights of the law abiding citizens. When we watch ANY OTHER person (besides Melanie Rames) we see a true dedication to serving our community. On STX ch 6, we even get to see STJ and STT following the same dedication to service even though they are not on STX. The tides are turning, but as you said, commissioners come and commissioners go. I have to say that a commissioner who publicly states that he wants to boost vipd by calling officers on their birthday or calling officers who are sick has NO grasp of reality. How can we expect any commissioner with this juvenile approach to the most important service people in our communities to be taken seriously?
Thank God for the real men and women on the daily beat for boosting morale. Morale is infectious. The more good that’s done, the more good-doers we will have.
The problems with our local law enforcement run deep. Why is it, is officers are sworn to uphold the law, there is a difference between local and federal law? Law is law, period. So, there must be an alteriative motive to disallow federal involvement, aka peace officer status. How many vipd officers any of you readers know of that have bent the law to lend a favor to a friend or family member? Yep, that’s why we only have partial law down here. And what’s the flip side to partial law? Lawlessness. Favoritism. Denial. Wouldn’t we all, that is the law abiding citizens, fair better with law abiding officers? Yep.
If Commissioner Francis feels slighted that he was to only receive a 2K salary increase, then he should have not taken the job. Instead, what he has done, is allowed the old school fellows to infiltrate in administrative levels to keep the USVI police corruption. Did anyone know that we have a new position in vipd as Assistant to Insular Affairs? And, that person is none other that Bert Bryan’s daughter? How do you think those affairs will be investigated and handled? Did anyone see McFarlane on News 8 speaking from the Frederiksted fish market? HOW are any of those individuals who spoke going to make a positive change in our children? Best I could see is that they tell the 12-13 year olds to go behind the market to smoke their smoke. How could Commissioner Francis even consider to allow this to be broadcast? I am perplexed.
I think I have to stop here. Like Mr. Estemac, the reality of our situation is so confusing that any one of us could ramble on and on. So here I stop, but I will be back…
Everyone in Frenchtown knows Tiny killed the pelicans. What is surprising is that when the DPNR enforcement officers came to “investigate” instead of arresting him, they destroyed the evidence because Tiny was a friend of one of the officer’s fathers. Not surprising because that’s the way this administration works.
As we read, we are in a “leadership gap”. Where is our commissioner? Well, he went “home” to visit the wife, and has been granted a 30 +/- leave. I guess crime and internal problems will halt in his absence. BUT, then maybe we have a hands-on solution to halting some things of more importance. What about the REAL situation with the police from stateside that were sworn in to uphold the law. Where did they go? One of them was named Policeman of the Month, but where are the rest? They left. Why?? How about the stateside officer that went to STJ…it seems he gave up when he did not get the housing assistance, or even a police vehicle, as he was enticed with in order to get him to agree to come here. Then, when he stuck in there, NO vipd officers would even agree to let him ride in the same police vehicle. I guess this was a way to let him know he wasn’t going to make it here, even though our Governor was so intent on making it happen. I guess it comes down to not being able to teach adults who act like children to get along and try to make it better.Our Gov has good intentions, but has no good grip on the reigns.
Now that Commissioner Francis is out of town, maybe we can fix the bad message being sent to our federal law enforcement agencies. NO, it is not true that Chief Benta is on his way out. Yes, Francis can say this to whoever, and some of the new feds might think it true, but the fact is it is only a ploy by the commissioner to back the ousting of Chief Benta. Yes, Benat and his team represent a quick and positive change, and that change is not so welcomed by the few who may not continue to prosper if in fact change occurs. Mr Commissioner Francis: stop spreading the propaganda about the few who actually dedicate thier lives to change. Stop arranging for “set-ups” with the few who are willing to stick to the rules. And, more importantly, stop hiring the old timers, the has-beens cops, that don’t understand that we the people will no longer tolerate the criminals.
But, please do continue on the positive course that our previous Commissioner has laid out for you. Yes, you benefit from the anti-gang movement, but who actually laid the groundwork? Yes, you benefit from the weapon destruction, but who initiated the program? Yes, you lloked good when the VIPD trainees found the girl stateside, but when was that training program actually reserved/planned? NOT on Francis’ watch, though he will gladly take the credit.
Novelle Francis knew that when he took the job as Commissioner, that there were a few thing that he would not be able to change, so instead we see him act out in a way that might get him what his backers want. Mr Francis: all the law abiding citizens support Chief Benta, Chief Howell, Chief Querrard, Chief DeGraff, and Chief Foy. The commissioner needs to give all of these men and thier loyal officers all the power to curb our crime, and set a new standard for how to behave in our community.
…more to come…
I bet you if I was the one that killed the pelicans I would have been arrested and on the front page. Much less COUGHT ON CAMERA! I guess is really is who you know.
Our former Commissioner, James McCall is still being paid his salary. Only now he is in charge of intimidating and terrorizing any one perceived by the administration as an enemy of deWolf.
@#4: Call crime stoppers, 18002228477, they take tips pertaining to ALL crimes.
@#5: If it is thought that one is being intimidated & terrorized, and that one has nothing to hide, then that one would probably not feel intimidated & terrorized. Could it be that someone in law enforcement is doing a job that NEEDS to be done?
Crime stoppers functions through the Justice dept. That is who McCall works for. Why didnt he go back to AFT? If the Gov replaced him what is his function now. Do you see any crimes being solved?
Crime Stoppers does not function “through” the Justice Department, although they will function “with” them, but only if the tip is referred to them from Crime Stoppers.
The tips called-in remain on the Crime Stoppers records until the case is closed, so it seems to ensure the tip will be investigated.
ATF??? Isn’t that the Division that our very own VIPD is not willing to work with? Didn’t they leave the territory?
When will they come back? Is Commissioner Francis doing anything to get them back?
This is typical. The brunt of our lawlessness is directly correlated to the shenanigans of our law departments, but nobody wants to call anything out.
One has to be a part of the change they want to see.