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The St.Kitts-Nevis Commissioner of Police C.G Walwyn has given indications that he will resign as the Federations “Top COP” shortly .  It was announced last week that Walwyn had  taken vacation leave from his post with immediate effect.

It has been widely speculated that the Commissioner would be replaced by the newly elected Team UNITY Government.

Commissioner Walwyn took command of the Royal St.Christopher and Nevis Police Force in 2011. His 3 year contract expired in August of 2014 . However Walwyn announced via local media that his contract had been renewed for another 3 years.

Early in his tenure the number of Murders on the island showed a dramatic decrease. In fact during his first full year in 2012 as Commissioner there were 16 murders in the federation. This was a 50% decline in murders from the year before which saw a record 34 murders . This decrease in murders did not continue into the ensuing years as the murder count increased each of the next 3 years. In 2013 the Murder count rose to 23 then increased again in 2014 to 25.  In 2015 another 10 murders have taken place under his watch. When all this is added to the 17 that took place during his first 4 months as Commissioner he has reigned over a whopping 91 murders since being appointed in August of 2011. No other Commissioner has had as much murders during their tenure.  By Comparison the man who Walwyn replaced Austin Williams had 44 murders in a similar 3 year period between 2008 and 2011.  Robert Jeffers who served as Commissioner for 4 years between 2004 and 2008 had 62 murders under his watch while Calvin Fahie who served from 1998 to 2004 over a 6 year period had 34 murders . His predecessor the UK’s Brian Reynolds who served from 1993 to 1998 had 23 murders under his leadership. Surprisingly Reynold’s tenure has been widely touted by many as a low point as far as Law and Order in the country’s history. It was during this period the island was plagued with murders and crimes related to the drug trade and a well know Kingpin who now sits in a US Jail.

Walwyn’s decision not to publish crime statistics placed him at odds often with the media. Coupled with the high murder count under his tenure the detection rate  dramatically decreased to 6% . This is regarded as unacceptable by any standard.

The US Trained Law Enforcement Officer has also been accused of ordering and orchestrating arrests of a large number of individuals , in particular young men. The St.Kitts-Nevis media has been littered with stories and cases of young men being set free or released from jail after months and sometimes years in lock-up only to be released for absence or lack of evidence and whose cases are thrown out . One individual in fact filed a successful law suit against the RCMP for wrongful arrest and imprisonment after serving months in jail only to be released for lack of evidence. He was awarded $160,000 plus in damages.

Then Opposition and now Team UNITY government has laid a plethora of accusations of  political bias and the politcisation of the force , at the feet of Walwyn.  The accusations were precipitated by the many questionable and some might say politically biased, motivated and blatant withdrawal of permission to hold meetings and the non granting of permits sought to hold various Team UNITY meetings and events.

According to Former Minister of National Security Dwyer Astaphan the politcisation of the Police is worse than it has ever been under the watch of Walwyn.

Astaphan stated “The politcisation of the Police Force, in my opinion, is worse that it has been in ages. Some people might dispute that but I think the facts are quite evident on that one.”

Walwyn was given the most lucrative contract of any Commissioner of Police in history. His salary alone with his allowances more than doubled and may have even tripled the salaries of previous Commissioners.  In a recent talk show conducted by Dwyer Astaphan it was stated that Walwyn in addition to his salary received a $10,000 per month housing allowing plus a Travelling Allowance, Car allowance despite the fact that he was provided with a Customised Range Rover SUV .

In a St.Kitts-Nevis observer news article Walwyn himself gave an insight of sorts into his compensation package.

The article stated “The Commissioner’s salary, which was said to be around $20,000 including allowances, is actually $3700 US per month Commissioner Walwyn said.

“That’s about $10,000 EC, and that’s what’s got people upset? $3700 bucks?” he quipped.

Walwyn asserted he would have been earning US$10,000 per month for a similar position in the US.

Tackling the much talked about frequency of his travels, the Commissioner admitted he does travel often, but for good reason.

“I travel a lot but when I come back, St. Kitts benefits,” he said, listing some of the home-based and overseas training opportunities he has been able to secure for his officers.

His wife is not being paid as a consultant for the government as has been the charge, the Commission said, she is volunteering her services and he pays for her travels.”

The announcement that CG Walwyn may resign shortly has not come soon enough. Many have labeled his tenure as the worst of any Commissioner of Police. 91 murders under his 3 and a half year watch is nothing to be proud about.

The Newly elected Team UNITY Government under the Leadership of Dr. Hon Timothy Harris will have a very tall order in arresting this crime problem that has been plaguing the federation for the last 10 plus years. It is no doubt a problem that will take time to curb and will require ALL HANDS ON DECK including the hands, minds and will of the former Administration who are now in Opposition

Walwyn’s next stop after ending his tenure in SKN is unknown . However his social media postings have clearly shown and indicated that he has no intention of ending his Law Enforcement Career anytime soon.

Commissioner Walwyn’s replacement is not yet known but it is widely speculated that ACP Ian Queely will likely be the federation’s next commissioner . ACP Queeley has been wearing the rank of ACP since his detachment in 2008 to the Regional Security System’s Central Liaison Office in Barbados as Director of Plans, Intelligence and Law Enforcement. He was confirmed in this position in December of 2012.