Barbados Police Service

The Barbados Police Service (BPS), previously called the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF), is the law enforcement agency in Barbados, as established under the Police Act, Cap. 167.[1] Richard Boyce is currently Commissioner of the Police.

Barbados Police Service
AbbreviationBPS
MottoTo serve, protect and reassure
Agency overview
Formed1835
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionBarbados, West Indies
Governing bodyAttorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs (Barbados)
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersBarbados Police Headquarters
Roebuck Street,
Bridgetown, St. Michael,
Barbados
Elected officer responsible
Agency executive
Website
www.barbadospolice.gov.bb
Barbados Police Patrol Car

The BPS is divided into five operational divisions: the Northern Division, Southern Division, Bridgetown Division, Criminal Investigations Division and Operations Support Division. These are supported by the Administrative Services Division[2] The organisational structure of the BPS is modelled after London's Metropolitan Police Service.

In recent years, a growing number of Barbadian police officers have been recruited to take up jobs in the Bermuda Police Service.[3]

History

The main Police Force of Barbados was established in 1835.[4] Soon after its founding the Police Force informally had mounted policemen, however in 1880 an actual mounted division was recognised and known as the Mounted Corps. (later renamed the Mounted Branch in 1933.) In 1882, the Harbour Police Force was unified with the main land division after it had been established separately in 1867. Roughly 100 years later in the 1980s the Harbour Police unit was dissolved entirely.

The prefix Royal was added to the title of the Police Force in February 1966 during a visit to Barbados by Elizabeth II. Until November 2021, Royal had remained as part of the name and identity of the force.

In 1981, the Royal Barbados Police Force became a full member of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).[5]

In 2021, the name Barbados Police Service was selected to be the new name for the Royal Barbados Police Force and replaced the old name when Barbados became a republic on November 30, 2021. The name was selected to reflect the removal of the Queen as head of state and as stated by the Minister of Legal Affairs Dale Marshall, "...the police force as it is now and as we want it to be in the future, has to be more than the notion of brute strength, a force pushing against people and pushing against objects because policing has long ago stopped being centered on brawn and force".[6]

Organisation

The headquarters for the BPS is in the former Barclays Bank Complex on Lower Roebuck Street, Bridgetown, Saint Michael.[7]

The headquarters houses the Commissioner of Police; the Deputy Commissioner of Police; the offices of all assistant commissioners of police; all staff officers of the above commissioners; the secretary to the Commissioner of Police; the Research and Development Department; the Police Registry; and the Office of Compliance.

Ranks
Royal Barbados Police Force ranks
Rank Constable Sergeant Station Sergeant Inspector Assistant Superintendent Superintendent Senior Superintendent Assistant Commissioner of Police Deputy Commissioner of Police Commissioner of Police
Epaulette Insignia (to 2021)

These insignia will be replaced, as Barbados became a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations on 30 November 2021.

Locations

District Police Stations:

  • Saint Michael
  • Christ Church
  • Saint George/Christ Church
    • District "B" station
  • Saint Philip/Saint John
    • District "C" station
  • Saint Thomas
    • District "D" station
  • Saint Peter
    • District "E" station
  • Saint Joseph
    • District "F" station
  • Saint James
  • Saint Andrew
  • Saint Lucy

Motto: To protect, serve and reassure.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Police of Barbados.

Notes
  1. "Police Act, Chapter 167 of the Laws of Barbados (1961 No. 50)".
  2. Royal Barbados Police Force: Operations Archived 2007-11-26 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Nation News: COP CAP by Trevor Yearwood". Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  4. Carrington, p.153
  5. Barbados: Royal Barbados Police Force, Interpol
  6. Name change for Police Force under republic
  7. Police offices moving to Roebuck St.

References
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