Eight V.I.P.D. Officers Left The Territory On Tuesday To Join N.Y.P.D. For Training

ST. CROIX — Fulfilling one of his early promises, Governor Kenneth Mapp announced on Tuesday that eight Virgin Islands Police Department Officers left the territory today  — four from the St. Croix district and four from the St. Thomas-St. John district — to join the New York City Police Department, where they will receive training for six months within the New York City Police Academy.

The officers from St. Croix sent to New York are all males, while three females and one male were chosen from the St. Thomas-St. John district. Their time of service within the V.I.P.D. ranges from a maximum of five years and a minimum of four months, according to the governor. He added that each officer was required to sign a contract with the Government of the Virgin Islands to provide at least three years of service with the V.I.P.D. upon their return. The officers are expected to graduate from the N.Y.P.D. on October 8, 2016.

“These officers will receive a bevy of training in police science,” Mr. Mapp said. “They will receive training in CPR and first aid. They will go through extensive firearm qualifications training [and] defensive tactics. They will also receive [training in] policing for mentally disturbed persons; policing in a multicultural society; crisis management; community interaction; and they will receive specific training dealing with an event caused by an active, live shooting.”

Mr. Mapp said his administration has committed to send sixteen junior police officers annually for the next five years to be trained in the New York City Police Academy. “In the weeks and months ahead we will be announcing more senior officers going off to specific training in New York City, particularly the investigation bureau with some emphasis in certifications in homicide investigations,” Mr. Mapp said.

The governor also mentioned the Emergency Vehicles legislation that recently passed the full Senate, which includes funding for equipment for the Department of Justice to commence work on a crime lab in the territory, which Mr. Mapp said he’s administration stands ready to work with D.O.J. to bring to fruition, and also funding for new V.I.P.D. equipment, including vehicles.

“I am very proud as a former graduate of the New York Police Academy to stand here as governor, in front of the people of the Virgin Islands, and to be able to say we have now gotten this process well underway, and we’re very happy that this is happening, and we will continue our partnerships with the N.Y.P.D.,” said the territory’s leader.

Police Commissioner Delroy Richards, also present for today’s press conference held at Government House here this afternoon, said the officers chosen to go to New York have expressed “an upbeat posture,” and that they were happy to be traveling to New York.

“We are expecting them to do well,” Mr. Richards said. “We have selected the best candidates who participated in the selection process, so we have high hopes for these guys once they get to New York, and we’re expecting that all will graduate with honors.”