I.

HISTORY

From the early 18th Century to the latter part of the 19th Century, the development of

policing generally followed the pattern of policing in England.  During the first half of this

period, men were appointed as constables to assist in the enforcement of government rules and

regulations, and the apprehension of offenders.  Night Watchmen were also assigned to protect

the town of Nassau (Capital of the Bahamas) during the night, as early as 1729; there was a

constable in New Providence.  However, his duties seem not to have been as broad and well

defined as the police of today.  This constable was attached to the local Magistrate, Justices of

the Peace and every other Government official.  Indeed, he did very little on his own initiative

and was probably at the bottom of the government ladder. 

In 1799, an Act of the General Assembly (now called Parliament) declared that all constables

would have the same powers as their counterparts in England.  They were then allowed to arrest

on suspicion of crime as opposed to only after the crime had been committed.  In 1827, the

assembly stipulated their mode of appointment.  It is evident that during this period, only one

constable was appointed to serve at a time in each district.  These appointments were made by

the serving Magistrate with the assistance of two Justices of the Peace.  Influential plantation

owners nominated the prospective constables. As time passed and crime increased, a small

number of constables were appointed to serve at the same time.  However, they were never

organized as a formal police force.  Each was responsible to the Magistrate in a particular

district.  It is interesting to note that this system of constables has evolved into the District and

Local Constables of today. 

During the early years of British Colonial Rule, slaves made up the majority of the

population in the Bahamas.  The little policing needed was done by the free population with the

help of Constables, Magistrates, and Justices of the Peace.  Any rebellion or potential rebellion

by the slaves was kept in check by the local detachment of soldiers and the slave owners. Prior to

1
 the abolition of slavery in 1834, there was a system of night patrols in New Providence called

the Night Guard.  The men forming this guard were not constables, but were also supervised by

the local Magistrate.  Their duties were primarily to protect the homes and businesses of the free

population at night.  In addition, the West India Regiment was stationed in Nassau to take care of

any serious breach of peace throughout The Bahamas.  These men were trained soldiers recruited

from different ethnic groups in Africa and The Caribbean.  They lived in Barracks in isolation

from the populations to ensure their loyalty in the vent of local slave uprising.  In addition, their

duties also included the protection of the Islands from Foreign Invaders.  At that time, the

barracks was situated on the site where the Hilton British Colonial Hotel now stands.    

The majority of the Family Islands which make up The Bahamas were largely neglected as

far as Law Enforcement was concerned, for the simple reason that crime in these areas was

almost non-existent.

On February 20, 1840, The Bahamas Assembly tabled an Act entitled "An Act for

Regulating the Police of the Bahamas Islands”). Even though The Royal Bahamas Police Force

commemorates its anniversary on March

I, which was when the Act was officially commenced, the Act was tabled eight days prior to

its commencement. Though addressing a host of issues, including the punishment of criminal

offenders, the 1840 Act was the official document that formally established the first uniform

system of policing in The Bahamas. As previously mentioned, there were several legislative

enactments passed prior to the 1840 Act that addressed matters related to Constables and

members of the Night Guard.

However, none of them clearly set out a well-defined Force in organization or structure. As a

result, the 1840 Act repealed all of the previous Acts relating to law enforcement officers and the

organization was officially referred to as the Police of The Bahamas Islands. The strength of the

Force in 1840 began at seventeen, inclusive of one Inspector-General and sixteen Privates

(Constables). The 1840 Act originally provided for thirty-one officers: one Inspector-General,

2
 two Sergeants, two Corporals and twenty-six Privates. The first group of volunteers,

numbering sixteen, was placed under the authority of Mr. John Pinder, who was referred to as

the Inspector-

General of the Force. The Colonial Secretary, a position established in 1729, was directly

responsible for the Force. He was to be updated by the Inspector-General on the establishment,

strength and any other activities that related to the agency. The Colonial Secretary would, in turn,

report to the Governor and the House of Assembly.

The newly appointed officers were headquartered in a Station House on Parliament Street in

the city of Nassau. It is believed that the majority of the initial volunteers who were accepted as

officers were probably members of the disbanded Day or Night Guards. Hence, these were men

who had some degree of experience and familiarity with the fundamental duties and

responsibilities of a police officer, and who were keenly familiar with the town of Nassau during

that time. The fundamentals of The Royal Bahamas Police Force were quite similar to those

instituted by the police force in England formed just eleven years earlier. Even though the Force

was paramilitary in nature, it was considered an unarmed Force as officers were not allowed to

carry firearms for regular duty. As opposed to the negative reaction of England's public (who

resented the image of formal social control that the Metropolitan Police represented), the

Bahamian public welcomed the officers and undoubtedly solicited many more to enlist. This can

be attributed to the fear of a civil uprising that still lingered in the minds of many.

The interest in joining the Force grew and manpower nearly doubled over the next five years.

By early 1845, all of the 3 1 vacancies for policemen were filled. Unfortunately, it was not long

before the legislature concluded that the initial funds allocated for the organization and

administration of the Force was a bit too exorbitant for the available resources of the Colony.

Subsequently, in 1845 the Bahamian Assembly thought it fitting to drastically reduce the Force's

manpower and the salaries of officers. In February of 1845, manpower decreased by 45% - from

thirty-one to seventeen officers. The fallout from this decision proved to be detrimental to not

only the remaining members of the Force, but also to the local residents. Morale was low among

3
 the remaining policemen as their salaries, living conditions, accommodations and other

amenities were considerably reduced. Moreover, supervision became a major concern as the

subordinate ranks of Corporal and Sergeant were abolished. The Constables became more

relaxed in the execution of their duties and no doubt spent much of their time consuming alcohol

while on duty. Hence, the Inspector attempted to devote his already limited time to the direct

day-to-day supervision of officers while virtually abandoning strategic planning and the

addressing of crime issues. The public did not take long to observe the low morale among the

policemen and became doubtful of their capabilities in the administration of law enforcement. In

March of 1845, the

Governor expressed his concern over the Inspector-General's old age and ability to serve

in such a capacity (C.O. 231 120). To make matters worse, the number of complaints regarding

police brutality began to increase. Two officers had to be disciplined by a Magistrate in 1849 for

"exceeding their authority" during the arrest of an alleged drunkard. Complaints concerning the

Force came in at all levels, including the printed media. Letters describing frequent acts of

cruelty with the ill use of cords and staves for tormenting their victims" were far too common

(Bahama Herald, 1849). In other cases, the public often criticized the officers for displaying a lax

attitude and not exercising their authority. Writers to the Gazette and Herald both made reference

to an incident in November of 1854 where the police allowed two violent criminals to escape

when they held them at bay using only a hatchet and a stick (Bahama Herald, 1854). It appeared

that the general consensus among members of the public was that the Force was dysfunctional.

These newspapers clearly expressed the views of the ruling whites, but a more telling critique of

police behavior and prison conditions was contained in the following letter, inserted in the

Herald by The Bahamas Friendly Society just before Christmas 1858. In the early years of 1860,

the incidence of crime and disorder increased in the wake of the American Civil War, when

blockade running resulted in large amounts of money coming into Nassau. In an urgent response

to this state of affairs, an Act that referred to the Police Force as stipendiary was passed in 1860.

This Act sought to address the dwindling spirits among officers and the poor performance of

4
 their first line supervisors. After new legislation was passed, the Force's numbers were

appreciably increased and officers' salaries and funding for amenities were augmented. The

number of officers was increased to seventy in total.

This growth extended beyond New Providence, and police officers were deployed

throughout more than sixteen of the inhabited islands. Even though many of the major inhabited

islands had some form of police presence from the young Police Force, there were several areas

in some of the remote islands that lacked law enforcement officers. The still limited number of

officers was already spread quite thin and the officers were unable to adequately police these

isolated areas. The Assembly passed another Act in April of 1860 to address this situation. The

Act authorized the Stipendiary Magistrates of these isolated areas to appoint men to serve as

Constables. Though unpaid and not official members of the Force, these men retained all powers,

authorities, privileges and protections as Constables in the Force. This body, referred to as the

'Unpaid Constabulary Force of the Colony,' was subject to fewer penalties than full-fledged

officers and was paid up to four shillings a day for providing special duties in special cases.

Although the Force's manpower more than quadrupled by 1860, there was still a clear concern

from the public over its lack of efficiency and effectiveness in dealing with various security

issues during these years. To add insult to injury, the members of the Force were not the best of

friends with soldiers of the West India Regiment, which was still stationed in Nassau. In fact, in

186 1, this resentment intensified when a major fight broke out between officers of the Force and

soldiers of the Regiment. Though no guns were used, the rivals fought with batons and many

received serious bruises and cuts. Fortunately, none of the officers of either side were killed, but

this dislike resulted in many of the police officers being unconcerned for the soldiers' safety.

This attitude proved to be very costly for the Regiment when, in 1863, angry residents of Grants

Town shot four unarmed regimental soldiers. In was discovered that the police were well aware

of this impending attack, but did nothing to prevent or address the situation before it transpired

(Pratt & Simmons, 1990).

5
 These and other unfortunate events brought the Force under scrutiny from the government. In

October of 1863, Governor C.J. Bailey appointed a Commission of Inquiry to formulate viable

solutions to improve the overall function and effectiveness of the distrusted Force. The

Commissioners spoke to many officers, including the Inspector, and began to discover several

fundamental issues which they believed contributed to the negative public perception of the

police. The Inquiry's findings centered on the gross lack of supervision of the officers on the

Force. The lnspector of Police had many duties, including Postmaster, which had a profound

effect on his ability to adequately supervise and control his men. It was also determined that the

lnspector lacked the necessary authority to administer proper discipline to officers under his

command. The Commissioners, in turn, recommended that the commander of the Police Force

should only hold that office and relinquish all others. The Inspector's direct disciplinary powers

were amplified and he now had the authority to imprison an officer for up to two days, with

stoppage of pay for breaches of discipline (Pratt & Simmons, 1990). Following these and other

recommendations, the legislature held that, by increasing the Force's manpower and salary

allocations once again, the Force's lack of effectiveness would be further attenuated. Between

1864 and 1865, there was a mass reorganization of the Force, as thousands of pounds were spent

on improving i t s functions and capabilities. The total salary for all police officers nearly tripled

from € 240 I in 1860 to €5705 in 1863. Manpower was increased by about 43%, when a total of

100 police officers were distributed throughout Nassau and twenty of the inhabited islands.

Increases in funding, accommodations and other amenities were also instituted (27Vic

C.20). Two new Station Houses were erected in the Grants Town area and in the Eastern District

of New Providence, which cost the government 150. Assistance in the day-to-day supervision

was sought from the United Kingdom, and four officers who had served in or belonged to the

Metropolitan Police Force or other police forces in England were appointed as Sergeants and

Corporals. For the first time, the Act of I864 also provided an official daily allowance of one

shilling, which was given to officers in addition to their salary whenever they needed to travel to

the Family Islands. This massive restructuring continued for well over twenty years into the early

6
 1880s. Some historians hold that the reorganization was not due to any notable

improvement in thoroughness on behalf of the Force, but rather a somewhat social calmness and

fiscal strictness that reappeared following the blockade-running episode (Craton & Saunders,

1998),

During this period, the militias faded altogether and some members of the white regime

began to wonder whether the Force could be trusted in cases of serious social disturbance

because of their "local sympathies and connections" (C.O. 231230). With the impending removal

of the Regiment's troops, the fear resurfaced in the minds of members of the House of Assembly

and other social elites of Nassau. This fear, as previously mentioned, was rooted in the idea that

the remaining black police officers would side with their fellow black Bahamians during times

when racial prejudices were excited. A shrewd long-term answer to this issue was found. The

essence of the plan could be attributed to the Colonial Secretary of The Bahamas, Captain H.

M.Jackson. Jackson had served in the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone, where men were selected

from foreign ports as their military and civilian functions were merged. His plan was to increase

the Force and establish another unit entirely recruited from outside of the Colony. Their training

was to be similar to that of soldiers and they were to be housed in barracks as opposed to homes.

Ultimately, this new paramilitary police would replace the original Force (Craton & Saunders,

1998).

From the early 1940s, The Bahamas experienced several incidents of civil unrest. As a result

of the NIA incident and the arrival of the Worchester Regiment, locals became more agitated. In

January of 1958, there was a general labor strike of all the labor forces. The Worchester

Regiment assisted the Police in this strike but the locals did not appreciate the way they were

being treated. Tensions between Bahamian residents never settled down. Bahamians decided that

they did not want anyone from the outside to police them and spurned the idea of Police

7
 Reserves. The first documentation of a possible establishment of a Police Reserves is found

in the Police Report of 1944. It stated that the Commissioner would be in charge of the Reserve

Force, which was comprised exclusively of part time officers. A uniform with distinctive

differences should be worn by the Reserve officers to show the difference between full time

officers and Reserves. These officers would also be required to attend official parades and

lectures.

The Bahamas’ Police Reserves was formally established in June 1965, over 20 years after it

was first recommended. The official recruitment of the first squad of reserves occurred in August

if 1965 with a total of 59 male volunteers. These men came from all walks of life, each having

different professions. The men, who were mostly World War II veterans, were trained for three

months at Police Headquarters. The group of men, many of whom owned businesses, wanted to

assist the police in the fight against crime.

Mr. Marvin Dames joined the Royal Bahamas Police Force on 1 March 1988.  He has

worked in areas of the Force that includes Crime Prevention and Community Relations Section,

Carmichael Division, Operation Sweep, Eleuthera District – Harbour Island, Complaints &

Discipline Unit, Mobile Division, Western Division, Drug Enforcement Unit, Central Detective

Unit, Air & Seaport Security and Assistant Commissioner – New Providence District, Mr.

Dames holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology from Ohio State University, Ohio, USA

and a Post Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice from the University of Leicester, United

Kingdom.  Additionally, he holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Police Management from the

Institute of Legal Executives. He has also participated in a number of courses including:

Fellowship – Yale World Fellows, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut International

Strategic Leadership programme (ISLP), Bramshill, United KingdomFBI, Academy,Senior

Command Course, Bramshill, United Kingdom. In January 2008 he commenced a one-year

secondment at the Toronto Police Service in Toronto, Canada. Mr. Dames has received several

honours throughout his career including The Police Force’s Medal for Meritorious Service and

the US Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator’s Award. Mr. Dames and his wife

Stacey are the proud parents of one son. Mr. Dames resigned from the Force on May 30th, 2011.

8
 On March 1st, 1840, The Bahamas Police Force was formed by sixteen men under the

command of Inspector General John Pinder.  Some, if not all of these men, were former Night

Guards.  Probably all, with the exception of John Pinder, were former slaves.  It is interesting to

note that, in addition to the office of Inspector General, John Pinder was also elected as a

member of the General Assembly in 1840. This new Police Force was distinctly non-military in

nature and provided a twenty-four-hour patrol of the Island of New Providence.  It was not until

several years later that members were transferred to some of the other islands.  By the end of

1840, the strength of the Force was: one Inspector General and a total of thirty Sergeants,

Corporals and Privates (the latter were the same as Constables). Today, the Force is an extremely

large and intricate 21st century law enforcement agency with over 4,000 officers, reserves and

police civilians. The Police Force provides policing services to all residents and visitors of The

Bahamas, an archipelago of over 700 Islands and Cays, strewn over 100,000 (258,998 square-

kilometer) square miles of ocean, in the Atlantic. At its most northern tip, The Bahamas is

approximately 50 nautical miles off the coastline of Florida, United States of America (USA).

The chain of Bahamian Islands stretches south, over 500 miles (804 Km), toward The Dominican

Republic.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF)exists under the authority of The Police Force

Act 2009. In accordance with the Act, the Force is headed by a Commissioner who is subject to

the authority of The Minister of National Security of The Bahamas. The Commissioner is Ex-

Officio Provost Marshall and has the responsibility for the guidance and general direction of The

Royal Bahamas Police Force. He is supported by a Deputy Commissioner and five Assistant

Commissioners. These officials make up what is known as the Senior Executive Leadership

Team. The RBPF is divided into three districts: New Providence, Northern Bahamas and the

Family Islands, and maintains its headquarters, located on East Street north, New Providence.On

October 30th, 2017 Anthony Ferguson became the seventh Commissioner of Police in an

independent Bahamas.  He acted in the capacity of Commissioner of Police at various intervals

prior to his appointment. He enlisted in November 1980 and steadily rose through the ranks. He

9
is proud of his Family Island roots having been born in Mount Thompson, Exuma and completed

high school there.As Commissioner, he has command, superintendence, direction and control of

the Force and is the ex-officio Provost Marshall.Through the years Mr. Ferguson's postings led

him to duties in the Family Island, Central and Southern Divisions in New Providence.  He later

became a supervisor of the Sexual Offences and Serious Crime Squads of the Criminal

Investigation Department.  Eventually, he became the head of the Homicide Squad of the Central

Detective Unit, Commander of the Drug Enforcement Unit and as the officer in charge of the

Central Division. 

He completed many training courses that were held locally and internationally.  These

included Criminal Investigations at West Yorkshire Police Training School, United Kingdom,

International Commanders Programme, Bramshill, UK, Homicide/serious Crime Investigations

sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.  Additionally, Advance Sex Crimes

Investigations Techniques, Public safety Institute, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida,

Homicide Investigations National criminal Justice Academy, Jacksonville, Florida., Training

Course at the Drug Commanders Academy, El Paso, Texas. As he served, Commissioner

Ferguson’s performance particularly as a homicide investigator was duly recognized for attaining

a solvency rate of 81%.  Additionally, he has received medals for Meritorious Service , and Long

Service & Good Conduct. In January 2018 he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal. Since his

appointment to the helm of the organization, Commissioner Ferguson has introduced a new

vision "creating safer communities". He has identified six priorities that will direct the Force to

fulfill its mission by "delivering our service as a resourceful and professional Police

Force."  Commissioner Ferguson and his family worships at Epiphany Methodist Church where

he is also a member. On February 20, 1840, The Bahamas Assembly tabled an Act entitled "An

Act for Regulating the Police of the Bahama Islands" (3 V [I 131 C. 38). Even though The Royal

Bahamas Police Force commemorates its anniversary on March I, which was when the Act was

officially commenced, the Act was tabled eight days prior to its commencement. Though

addressing a host of issues, including the punishment of criminal offenders, the 1840 Act was the

official document that formally established the first uniform system of policing in The Bahamas.

10
 As previously mentioned, there were several legislative enactments passed prior to the

1840 Act that addressed matters related to Constables and members of the Night Guard (3 Geo

IV, 2 Will IV, 4 Will IV, 2Vic I C.2,ZVic I C.7 & 2Vic I C. 16).

However, none of them clearly set out a well-defined Force in organization or structure.

As a result, the 1840 Act repealed all of the previous Acts relating to law enforcement officers

and the organization was officially referred to as the Police of The Bahama Islands. The strength

of the Force in 1840 began at seventeen, inclusive of one Inspector-General and sixteen Privates

(Constables). The 1840 Act originally provided for thirty-one officers: one Inspector-General,

two Sergeants, two Corporals and twenty-six Privates. The first group of volunteers, numbering

sixteen, was placed under the authority of Mr. John Pinder, who was referred to as the Inspector-

General of the Force. The Colonial Secretary, a position established in 1729, was directly

responsible for the Force. He was to be updated by the Inspector-General on the establishment,

strength and any other activities that related to the agency. The Colonial Secretary would, in turn,

report to the Governor and the House of Assembly.

The interest in joining the Force grew and manpower nearly doubled over the next five

years. By early 1845, all of the 3 1 vacancies for policemen were filled. Unfortunately, it was not

long before the legislature concluded that the initial funds allocated for the organization and

administration of the Force was a bit too exorbitant for the available resources of the Colony.

Subsequently, in 1845 the Bahamian Assembly thought it fitting to drastically reduce the Force's

manpower and the salaries of officers. In February of 1845, manpower decreased by 45% -from

thirty-one to seventeen officers. (No. 33 8 Vic Ch. 7). The fallout from this decision proved to be

detrimental to not only the remaining members of the Force, but also to the local residents.

11
 II. LAWS

POLICE STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS “Reserve” means The Royal Bahamas

Police Reserve established under Part X of this Act; “reserve police officer” means an officer of

the Reserve; “Schedule” means a schedule to this Act; “special constable” means any person

appointed under section 86 of this Act; “subordinate police officer” means any police officer of

the rank of corporal, sergeant or staff sergeant; “supernumerary police officer” means any person

appointed under Part VIII of this Act. The members of the Supernumerary Constabulary and the

Reserve and all local, district and special constables shall, for the purposes of Articles 118 to 121

inclusive of the Constitution, be deemed to constitute part of the Force, subject in each case to

the special provisions of Parts VIII, X and XI of this Act respectively. PART II

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION. The existing Force of The Royal Bahamas shall

continue to be maintained under the provisions of this Act and shall be called The Royal

Bahamas Police Force. All members of the Force employed at the date of the coming into

operation of this Act shall be deemed to be employed under this Act. The Force shall be

employed in and throughout The Bahamas for the maintenance of law and order, preservation of

peace, the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders and the enforcement

of all laws with which it is charged. For the performance of these duties it shall be lawful for

police officers to be issued with and to carry such arms and ammunition as the Commissioner

may direct. The Force shall consist of such numbers of gazette police officers, inspectors,

subordinate police officers, constables and recruits in the ranks specified in the First Schedule as

may from time to time be authorized by Parliament and enrolled in the Force.

BAHAMAS The Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the Police Service

Commission may appoint to the Force such number of persons of or over the age of eighteen

years as he may deem fit for the purpose of receiving special training in duties in the Force, and

every person so appointed is in this Act referred to as a recruit. 6. The Commissioner shall have

the command, superintendence, direction and control of the Force and shall be ex officio Provost

12
Marshal. 7. Save as may be otherwise provided by the Constitution, any act or thing which may

lawfully be done, ordered or performed by the Commissioner may with his authority be done,

ordered or performed by any Deputy or Assistant Commissioner. PART III APPOINTMENT

AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 8. Power to make appointments to any office in the Force

and to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over any person holding or acting in any such

office shall be exercised in all respects in accordance with Articles 119, 120 and 121 of the

Constitution. 9. A warrant card in such form as may be prescribed, signed by such gazette police

officer as may be authorized by the Commissioner in that behalf, shall be issued to every police

officer and shall be evidence of his appointment under this Act. 10. Subject to the provisions of

this Act, the salaries and allowances of all police officers shall be paid out of 1such sums as

Parliament may from time to time appropriate for that purpose. Subject to the provisions of this

section, the decision whether to grant, defer or withhold any increment of salary of any police

officer of or above the rank of inspector shall be made by the Governor-General acting in

accordance with the advice of the Police Service Commission, and the Governor-General, acting

in accordance with the advice of the Police Service Commission, shall, in each 1Had effect from

1st July, 1967.

E.L.A.O., 1974. 10 of 1997, s. 2. Duties of the Commissioner. Duties of Deputy Commissioner

and Assistant Commissioner. Appointment, removal and disciplinary control of police

officers.E.L.A.O., 1974. Warrant cards. Payment of salaries, etc. 27 of 1969. Increments of

salary of certain police officers.12 of 1966, s. 3.; E.L.A.O., 1974.

POLICE STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS such case, decide whether the

efficiency and responsibility of such officer in the performance of his duties merit the granting of

the increment. If any police officer of or above the rank of inspector who is serving in a scale of

salary, possesses or acquires such special qualifications or experience as, in the opinion of the

Commissioner, justifies his being advanced in such scale of salary to an incremental power

above the point in which he is then serving, the Governor-General, acting in

13
accordance with the advice of the Police Service Commission, may advance such officer in such

scale to such higher incremental point. Every police officer, appointed to a post of the rank of

deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent or inspector, shall enter the appropriate scale of

salary for his rank at the bottom of the scale unless the Governor-General, acting in accordance

with the advice of the Police Service Commission, approves of such police officer entering such

scale at an incremental point therein above the bottom of the scale. Subject to the provisions of

this section, the decision whether to grant, defer or withhold any increment of salary of

anysubordinate police officer or constable shall be made by the Commissioner and the

Commissioner shall in each such case decide whether the efficiency and responsibility of such

officer or constable in the performance of his duties merit the granting of the increment. The

Commissioner may in his discretion — (a) grant the increment which shall then become payable

as from the incremental date. (b) defer the award of the increment for further consideration; or

(c) withhold the increment for any period not exceeding one year from the incremental date.

When the award of an increment has been deferred the Commissioner may at a later date grant

the increment as from the incremental date, in which case the arrears of salary due shall be paid

to the person concerned. When an increment has been withheld for a period of less than one year

the person concerned shall be entitled to draw the increased salary as from the date following the

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS close of the period for which such increment has been

withheld, and shall be eligible for a further increment on the next incremental date. When an

increment has been withheld for one year the person concerned shall be eligible for one

increment only on the next incremental date. The Commissioner may in his discretion grant two

simultaneous increments to any subordinate police officer or constable in recognition of

exceptionally good work or meritorious service. Subject to the provisions of this Act a constable

shall be appointed for one year. Subject as aforesaid, a subordinate police officer or constable

may be re-engaged for successive periods of five years until the completion of thirty years of

service or the attainment of the age of fifty years, whichever event shall first occur. Nothing in

subsection of this section shall prevent the re-engage ment of any officer mentioned in that

subsection successively from year to year for a period

14
not exceeding a total of ten years after the completion of thirty years of service or the attainment

of the age of fifty years as aforesaid: Provided that service rendered as mentioned in this

subsection shall not entitle any such officer to any additional pension in respect of any part of

such service. Every officer wishing to be re-engaged pursuant to subsection shall apply in

writing to the Commissioner, in respect of the first period of re-engagement, not less than three

months before the date on which he is to retire, and in respect of any successive period of re-

engagement, not less than three months before the expiration of the preceding period of re-

engagement. Before any officer may be re-engaged pursuant to this section he shall be found

physically fit and shall, in addition, sign a re-engagement paper in the form in the Second

Schedule. The Minister may assign, for the use of the Force, such barracks or other buildings as

may respectively be provided or available for the purpose, and may make such POLICE

STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS further provision for the accommodation of constables

as may be necessary. The Commissioner may assign any quarters provided for the use of the

Force to any police officer and may require him to reside in such quarters. Every member of the

Force appointed or engaged under this Act beyond The Bahamas shall, upon being lawfully

discharged, be entitled to a free passage within the next following six months back to the place at

which he was engaged: Provided that if he shall fail to claim a passage within one month of his

being lawfully discharged, he shall be deemed to have forfeited all right thereto. No member of

the Force so engaged shall suffer any loss of pay by way of stoppage or otherwise in respect of

the expense attendant upon his transport to The Bahamas. 16. When a member of the Force who

was engaged beyond The Bahamas shall be dismissed from the Force for misconduct, he shall be

provided as soon as practicable thereafter with a passage to the place at which he was engaged,

and until he shall embark as he may be directed, his discharge certificate shall be withheld; and

he shall remain subject and liable to all the provisions of this Act and of regulations made

thereunder for the maintenance and enforcement of discipline. Police officers shall be distributed

amongst the several stations and headquarters in such numbers respectively

15
as the Commissioner may from time to time direct. 18. A duly qualified member of the Health

Department of The Bahamas shall be appointed police surgeon to the Force. Every member of

the Force who may become ill in New Providence shall be accommodated and treated in the

Princess Margaret Hospital, or in barracks, as may be directed by the police surgeon whose duty

it shall be to give the necessary medical and surgical attendance to every member free of charge.

The salaries of all police officers shall be paid monthly.

It shall not be lawful for the Treasurer or the Commissioner to deduct from the salary,

allowances or other emoluments payable to any member of the Force any amount on account of

any order, charge or encumbrance which may have been given, made or created by such

member, upon his salary, allowances or emoluments except in accordance with this Act or any

regulations made thereunder. The salary, allowances and other emoluments of any member of

the Force shall be paid only to the member to whom they may be due, except in case of illness,

absence or other incapacity, when it shall be lawful for the Commissioner to pay to an agent

authorized in writing, the salary, allowances or other emoluments due to any such member. It

shall be lawful for the Governor-General to make regulations to provide for any other special

conditions of service applicable to police officers. Every police officer on his appointment shall

take and subscribe to the oaths following, that is to say do swear that I will be faithful and bear

true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Her Heirs and Successors, according to law.

So help me God. I do swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady the Queen, in the

office of without favor or affection, malice or ill will, and that I will cause Her Majesty’s peace

to be kept and preserved; and that I will prevent, to the utmost of my power, all offences against

the same; and while I shall continue to hold the said office I will, to the best of my skill and

knowledge, discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to law. So help me God. Such

oaths shall be taken by the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner before the Governor-

General and by every other police officer before the Commissioner or other person designated by

the Minister. Every subordinate police officer and constable upon completion of the period for

which he shall have engaged to serve, from which

16
period there shall be excluded all periods of absence from duty on account of No deduction to be

made from salaries on account of any charge, etc. To whom salaries are to be paid. 27 of 1969, s.

11. Regulations for other special conditions of service. E.L.A.O., 1974. Oaths and their

administration. E.L.A.O., 1974. Discharge on completion of service.

POLICE STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS desertion or imprisonment for

misconduct, shall be formally discharged by the Commissioner, and until he receives his

certificate of discharge he shall remain subject to all the provisions of this Act and of the

regulations made thereunder. 26. Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, a police officer of

or above the rank of inspector may be discharged by the Governor-General acting in accordance

with the advice of the Police Service Commission, and a subordinate police officer or constable

may be discharged by the Commissioner, when he — (a) is pronounced by a medical board to be

mentally or physically unfit; (b) has been sentenced to dismissal for misconduct; (c) is

considered by the Commissioner unlikely to become or has ceased to be an efficient police

officer or for any other reason his discharge is deemed necessary in the public interest; (d) has

created any charge or encumbrance or given any order for payment out of his salary other than in

accordance with this Act or any regulation made thereunder, or has assigned such salary or any

part thereof or has had an order or a judgment summons made against him; or (e) on reduction of

the establishment of the Force. 27. Any member of the Force, whose period of service expires

during a state of war, insurrection, hostilities tie or other emergency may be retained and his

services prolonged for such further period as the Governor-General may direct. 28. When a

member of the Force ceases from any cause to belong to the Force all powers and authorities

vested in him shall immediately cease and determine, and he shall deliver over to such person

and at such time and place as may be ordered by the Commissioner, all arms, ammunition,

accoutrements, clothing and appointments whatsoever which may have been supplied to him by

virtue of and for the execution of his office, or their value, under penalty upon summary

conviction before any magistrate of a fine of seventy-five dollars or imprisonment not exceeding

17
thirty days. Discharge during engagement.E.L.A.O., 1974. 5 of 1987, Sch. Prolonging

service.E.L.A.O., 1974. Members ceasing to belong to the Force to give up arms, etc. 12 of 1966,

s. 5.

No police officer shall, while he holds such appointment, engage in any private business or

trade without the consent in writing of the Minister. PART IV POWERS, DUTIES AND

PRIVILEGES. The members of the Force shall have all powers, authorities, privileges and

advantages and be liable to such duties and responsibilities as constables and peace offices now

have or hereafter may be invested with, either by common law, or by virtue of any Act, or by

statute of Parliament of the United Kingdom now or hereafter to be in force within The

Bahamas, or as may be directed and imposed by any regulations made under this Act. Provided

that if any question shall arise as to the right of any member of the Force to hold or execute his

office, common reputation shall to all intents and purposes be deemed and held sufficient

evidence of such right, and it shall not be necessary to produce any appointment, or any oath,

affidavit or other documents or matter whatsoever to prove any qualification in support of such

right. (2) A member of the Force shall perform such duties as the Commissioner may direct. (3)

Every police officer shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as are by law conferred

or imposed on police officers, and shall obey all lawful direction in respect of the execution of

his office which he may from time to time receive from any competent authority. (4) For the

purposes of this Act and any other law, police officers shall be deemed to be always on duty

when required to act as such. 31. Without prejudice to the powers conferred upon a police officer

by any law, it shall be lawful for any police officer, and for all persons whom he shall call to his

assistance, to arrest without a warrant any person who within view of any such police officer

shall offend in any manner against any law and who, when requested by such police officer so to

do, refuses to give his name and address or gives a name and address which such police officer

has reason to believe is false. Engaging in trade or business. E.L.A.O., 1974.; 19 of 1975, s. 2.

Power and status of members of the Force. Power to arrest for offence committed in view.

18
 When any person charged with any offence in respect of which a magistrate may grant bail

shall be brought without warrant of a magistrate into the custody of a police officer having

charge of any police station such officer may, if he shall deem it prudent, take bail by

recognizance without any fee or reward from such person conditioned that such person shall

appear for examination before a magistrate at some place to be specified in the recognizance, and

every recognizance so taken shall be of equal obligation on the parties entering into the same and

liable to the same proceedings for entreating thereof, as if the same had been taken before a

magistrate, and

the name, residence and occupation of the party and his surety or sureties, if any, entering into

such recognizance together with the condition thereof, and the sums respectively acknowledged

shall be entered in a book to be kept for that purpose which shall be laid before the magistrate

present at the time and place when and where the party is required to appear, and if the party

does not appear at the time and place required or within one hour of the expiration of such time,

the magistrate may declare the recognizance to be forfeited and enforce payment of the sum

thereunder in the manner provided by the Magistrates Act, in the case of recognizances taken

under that Act and subject to the provision in the said Act contained as to cancellation of

forfeiture on security being given: Provided that if the party not appearing shall apply by any

person appearing on his behalf to postpone the hearing of the charge against him and the

magistrate shall see fit to consent thereto, the magistrate shall be at liberty to enlarge the

recognizance to such further time as he shall appoint, and when the matter shall be heard and

determined either by the dismissal of the complaint or by binding the party over to answer the

matter thereof at the court or other court of justice having jurisdiction of the offence or

otherwise, the recognizances for the appearance of the party before the magistrate shall be

discharged without fee or reward.

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 Which premises he has reasonable cause to suspect and believe that there is any property

which has been stolen or unlawfully obtained and to search such premises for the purpose of

ascertaining whether there is on such premises any such property and to remain thereon for so

long as may be necessary for the carrying out of such search: Provided that the powers conferred

by this section shall be exercised only when a member of the Force has good reason to believe

that the delay involved in obtaining a search warrant under the provisions of section 70 of the

Criminal Procedure Code Act would seriously hamper his investigation and except in cases of

extreme urgency the authority therefor shall be obtained in writing. A member of the Force

having first obtained the authority required by subsection of this section, may enter into and upon

and search premises as aforesaid at any time of the day or night and may with or without

assistance, after having made known his authority, break open or otherwise use force in order to

effect entry. If upon such entry and search as aforesaid any such property as aforesaid is found,

the member of the Force so entering as aforesaid shall take possession of and secure such

property and apprehend and bring before a magistrate the occupier of such premises, and any

person in or on such premises being reasonably suspected of being privy to such property being

therein. It shall be the duty of the police officer who conducts any search under the provisions of

this section and of the officer who authorizes any such search at the first opportunity to submit a

report in writing to a magistrate specifying the grounds on which the search has been authorized

and the result thereof. When any warrant of any judge, magistrate, justice of the peace or of any

coroner shall be delivered to any member of the Force, he shall, if time will permit, show or

deliver the same to the Commissioner or other officer under whose immediate command he shall

then be, and the Commissioner or other officer shall nominate and appoint by endorsement

thereon such one or more of the constables under his order as he shall think proper to execute

such a warrant, and every constable whose name shall be so endorsed, and every person

20
assisting him in the execution of such warrant shall have all and every the same rights, powers

and authorities for and in the execution of every such warrant as if the same had been originally

directed to him or them expressly by name. Any warrant lawfully issued by a judge,

magistrate, justice of the peace or coroner for apprehending any person charged with any offence

may be executed by any police officer at any time; notwithstanding that the warrant is not in his

possession at that time, but the warrant shall in case of an arrest in New Providence, on demand

of the person apprehended, be shown to him within two hours, and in the case of an arrest in an

Out Island, as soon as practicable after his arrest. It shall be lawful for any police officer to enter,

with one or more police officers under his command, on board any vessel in any harbor, bay or

roadstead or on board any aircraft at any place within The Bahamas and remain on board any

such vessel or aircraft for such reasonable time as he deems expedient, and, if he has reasonable

ground to suspect there is on board any such vessel or aircraft any unaccustomed goods, any

property stolen or unlawfully obtained or any article prohibited to be imported or exported, it

shall be lawful for him to search with any assistance any and every part of such vessel or aircraft

and after demand and refusal of keys, to break open any door or receptacle, and, upon discovery

of any property which he may reasonably suspect to be unaccustomed goods or to have been

stolen or unlawfully obtained or any article prohibited to be imported or exported, to take such

property, article, or articles and the person in whose possession the same are found before a

magistrate to be dealt with according to law be lawful for any such police officer to pursue and

detain any person in the act of conveying any such property or article away from any such vessel

or aircraft whether he has landed or not, together with any such property or article so conveyed

away or found in his possession. Any police officer may in case of accident or other emergency

commandeer any boat or other small craft and use the same or cause the same to be used for

giving such assistance as may be possible: Provided that adequate compensation shall on demand

by the owner of any such boat or craft be paid to him by or on behalf of the Commissioner and

any owner who is aggrieved by the refusal to pay such compensation or by the amount thereof

tendered to him may appeal to the Supreme Court within such time and in such manner as may

21
be provided by rules made under section 76 of the Supreme Court Act and the Court may make

such order as it considers just. It shall be lawful for any gazette police officer or any other police

officer who is authorized by the Commissioner to take and record for the purposes of

identification the measurements, photographs, fingerprint and palm print impressions of all

persons who may from time to time be in lawful custody. Provided that if such measurements,

photographs, fingerprint and palm print impressions are taken of a person who has not previously

been convicted of any criminal offence and criminal proceedings are not instituted against such

person or such person is discharged or acquitted by a court, all records relating to such

measurements, photographs, fingerprint and palm print impressions shall forthwith be destroyed.

Any person who shall refuse to submit to the taking and recording of his measurements,

photographs, fingerprint or palm print impressions shall be taken before a magistrate who, on

being satisfied that such a person is in lawful custody, shall make such order as he thinks fit

authorizing a police officer to take measurements, photographs, fingerprint and palm print

impressions of such person. All police officers are, subject to any direction given by the

Attorney-General from time to time, empowered to conduct proceedings in a magistrate’s court

on behalf of the Crown. Every member of the Force is invested with all the powers of a customs

officer under the Customs Management Act to prevent smuggling and shall be entitled to the

same immunity as a customs officer. Members of the Force stationed in the Out Islands shall act

as golfers when thereunto required by the Commissioner of the district or a justice of the peace

of the district within which they are so stationed. Every police station shall be deemed to be a

lockup house for the temporary confinement of persons charged with offences in which such

persons may be received and detained according to law. It shall be the duty of the Force to

regulate and control traffic and to divert all or any particular kind of traffic, when, in the opinion

of an officer in charge of police, it is in the public interest to do so. Notwithstanding the

provisions of any other Act in force in The Bahamas, any gazette police officer or any police

officer in charge of a police station may, if he considers it necessary so to do for the maintenance

of law and order

22
or for the prevention and detection of crime, cause barriers to be erected or placed in or across

any road or street or in any public place, in such manner as he may think fit. Any police officer

may take reasonable steps to prevent any vehicle being driven past any such barrier, and any

driver of any vehicle who fails to comply with any reasonable signals of a police officer

requiring such person to stop such vehicle before reaching any such barrier, shall be guilty of an

offence and shall on conviction therefore, be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six

months or to a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars or to both such fine and such

imprisonment. No police officer shall be liable for any loss or damage resulting to any vehicle or

for any injury to the driver or any other occupant of such vehicle as a result of the driver of such

vehicle failing to obey any police officer acting under the provisions of subsection of this

section. Notwithstanding the provisions of any Act to the contrary, it shall be lawful for the

Commissioner to establish and maintain police messes and canteens and to sell wine, ale, beer,

spirits and other goods by retail in such messes and canteens without having previously obtained

a license for that purpose. It shall be lawful for the Commissioner as he may think fit to make

rules in regard to the hours during which such canteen shall be kept open each day for the sale of

wine, ale, beer, spirits and other goods and for the proper management and control of the

canteens. The Commissioner and any gazette police officer shall for the purposes of investigating

any complaint of an offence against police discipline have the same powers as a magistrate under

the Criminal Procedure Code Act of summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses and

examining them upon oath or affirmation and any person willfully and corruptly giving false

evidence before them shall be deemed guilty of perjury. The various Out Island Commissioners

shall be and are hereby respectively invested within their districts with all and singular the

powers and authorities by this Act given to gazette police officers: Provided that such powers

and authorities shall not be exercised at any time when a gazette police officer or an inspector

authorized in writing by the Commissioner of Police to exercise disciplinary powers be present

within the district. When any action shall be brought against any member of the Force for any act

done in obedience to the warrant of any judge, magistrate, justice of the peace or

23
coroner such member shall not be responsible for any want of jurisdiction in the judge,

magistrate, justice of the peace or coroner issuing the same, and such member may plead the

general issue and

give such warrant in evidence, and upon producing such warrant and proving that the signature

thereto is in the handwriting of the person

name shall appear subscribed there to that such person is reputed to be and acts as a judge,

magistrate, justice of the peace or coroner and that the act complained of was done in obedience

to the warrant, such member shall be entitled to have a verdict entered for him, and shall receive

his costs of suit, and every such member of the Force shall be further entitled to the protection

afforded by any Act for the protection of persons acting in the execution of statutory and other

public duties. The salary, allowances or other emoluments of any member of the Force shall not

be liable to be attached, seized or taken in execution by any process of law or otherwise

howsoever, nor shall any such member be liable to be imprisoned under order of any court by

reason of non-payment of any debt or demand which he may have incurred, or for which he may

become liable. PART V DISCIPLINE. Any complaint of an offence against police discipline

enumerated in the regulations made under this Act or other misconduct committed by a police

officer of or above the rank of inspector in regard to which proceedings are not instituted in a

criminal court shall be the subject of an inquiry by the Commissioner in accordance with the

regulations under this Act. The Commissioner may initiate disciplinary proceedings against any

such officer:

Provided that nothing in this section contained shall apply to any complaint made against the

Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner or any person acting in either of those offices.

GENERAL POLICE DUTIES OF THE RBPF

The initial duties and responsibilities of early law enforcement officials in The Bahamas

were extremely vast, a fact that is rather unusual by present day standards. This is true, given the

24
fact that Constables then were required to carry out tasks ranging from fixing roads to catching

stray hogs, goats and sheep. The new philosophy of community policing that many police

agencies subscribe to today, has actually been in existence from the creation of the policing era.

In the 1840 Police Act, the Nassau Force was made responsible for the 24-hour policing of the

Colony. This new Force was to be a day and night body instead of simply a night operation, as

was the case with the former Night Guards. Members were charged with three pivotal duties that

the government felt were fundamental to properly police the growing Colony. These duties

included:

1. Preservation of the peace

2. Prevention of robberies and other felonies

3. Detection and committal of offenders

In the first amendment to the 1840 Act, these duties were a bit more specific in outlining the

offence of robbery, which was no doubt a primary concern at the time. Later, in the Police Act of

1860, the investigative function was worded more specifically. The Act stipulated that the duties

of the police included discovering and detecting perpetrators of felonies and other criminal

offences These general duties remained virtually unchanged until an Act entitled: To consolidate

and amend the laws relating to the Stipendiary Police Force of the Colony was passed in May of

1864. This Act made the Force officially responsible for "apprehending the offenders"

throughout the entire Colony). It would appear as if the Assembly crafted the duties of the Force

after they considered the duties that were already being performed.

The 1864 Act also stipulated that Constables in Nassau were to be responsible for

courtroom security and other duties in the General Court of The Bahamas. The Bahamas'

Constabulary Act of 189 1 expanded the Force's courtroom duties as it mandated that police

officers attend all the sittings of all Courts of Justices throughout the Colony. This Act also made

police officers responsible for the management, charge and control of fire engines and required

them to perform all of the duties of firemen.

25
 Even though there was always a sufficient number of jailors or gaolers (keepers of the

jail) in Nassau, the Constables on Out Island Districts had to carry out their duties under an 1870

Act, as the Resident Justice or his assistant were either absent or simply required them to act in

this capacity (33Vic Ch 3). Under this Act, the Sergeant of Police was made responsible for all

nuisances. Interestingly, one of this officer's main responsibilities under this portfolio was to

ensure that any decomposing animal found in any part of the town, suburbs or harbor

of Nassau was removed or buried at the government's expense. Though viewed by some today as

a rather unpleasant job, the cleanliness of the Colony remains an important government priority.

The Police Act of 1909 officially broadened the Force's duties by stating that, in addition to those

previously outlined, they were required to perform "all other duties" by an Act imposed on all

peace officers. The duties of all Constables including Local, District and Special Constables

were outlined in the Constables Act of 1926. Under this Act, their duties included:

1. To preserve the public peace

2. To prevent or suppress crime

3. To protect property

4. To proceed from any part of the Colony to any other part

in charge of any person accused of a criminal offence

5. To carry out the orders of any Court issued to him in

the exercise by such Court of its jurisdiction

The Police Act of 1955 compacted the duties of the Force as a whole into three main

functions:

6. Preserving the peace

7. Prevention and detection of crime

8. The apprehension of offenders against the peace

26
Today, there are five general duties that the Force are mandated to carry out under the Police Act

of 1965 and subsequent revised editions:

1. Maintenance of law and order

2. Preservation of the peace

3. Prevention and detection of crime

4. Apprehension of offenders

5. Enforcement of all laws with which it is charged

Given the fact that police officers have historically been asked to perform a vast variety of

tasks, it was understood that their authority had to be expanded. Hence, the powers of Constables

have become more clearly defined over time. In 1838, there were several clearly defined powers

and duties that Constables had prior to the formation of the Force. Constables had the authority

to stop and detain an individual who possessed property that, in the officer's opinion, was

suspicious or improperly obtained. This permitted arrests based on suspicion rather than probable

cause The officer was then required to take such a person to the Watch-House and appear before

the next sitting of a Magistrate to give an account of the officer's suspicion. In addition, the 1838

Act gave Constables the power to arrest any person for being drunk, disturbing the peace, or

using foul language in o r near a public street

On January 29, 1870, an Act was passed that gave police officers the same powers as tide

waiters; the term used to refer to customs officers who board incoming ships at a harbor. Police

officers were now given the added task of preventing the smuggling of unaccustomed goods into

the Colony. The Constabulary Act of 189 1 broadened the duties of the Force.

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 III. STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION

The Royal Bahamas Police Force is headed by Anthony Ferguson the Commissioner of

Police currently who is supported in his role by a deputy commissioner and seven assistant

commissioners. The headquarters of the police service is located in Nassau, New Providence.

The rank structure follows the United Kingdom's Scotland Yard usage: constable; corporal;

sergeant; inspector; assistant superintendent; superintendent; chief superintendent; assistant

commissioner; senior assistant commissioner; deputy commissioner; and commissioner. There

are just over 3,000 members on the force.

Commissioner

The Commissioner is the highest-ranking officer within the police force, superseded

only by the Minister of National Security. His responsibilities include ensuring accountability

and order, and the guidance and control of all officers and volunteers associated with the force.

The current Commissioner of Police is Anthony Ferguson (2017-present).

Organization

The force is divided into three sections: The New Providence District, Grand Bahama

District and the Family Islands District. Each district is headed by an Assistant Commissioner.

The police service is divided into several different branches, including.

Senior Executive Management Team

The Senior Executive Management Team is a group of officers who guide and control the

activities of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. It is led by the commissioner, supported by an

acting deputy commissioner, a senior assistant commissioner and an assistant commissioner:

Mr. Ellison E. Greenslade, QPM, MBA, Commissioner of Police

Mr. Anthony James Ferguson, AA, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police

Mr. Emrick Seymour, AA, CIRM, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police

Mr. Stephen Dean, MBA, BA, CM, Assistant Commissioner of Police

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Programs
The Cadet Corps is a program that allows aspiring local youth who are not of the proper age
requirement to receive partial training and experience situations undertaken by officers. The
program began in 1969 and to gain entrance to the program an eight-week training course must
be taken at the headquarters in Nassau. Once the course is completed, a rank of police cadet is
earned. These cadets wear casual (depot) dress, distinguished by a slimmer stripe along each side
if the regulation pants with the letter "C" (for cadet) in front of their numerals.
 The National Crime Prevention Office is an initiative undertaken on 1 February 2010 as

part of Commissioner Greenslade's plan to reduce crime in The Bahamas through the

education of and collaboration with the public. The stated mission of the office is to:

Raise the level of public awareness and concern about crime

 Encourage self-help in crime prevention

 Examine, develop and recommend crime prevention measures suitable to the public

 Coordinate efforts of organisations in crime prevention

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 IV. QUALIFICATIONS AND BENEFITS

THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS

In order to be eligible to join the Royal Bahamas Police Force, all applicants must:

Be a Bahamian citizen

Be of good character and without a criminal record

Be between the ages of 18 and 30 years

Have good academic qualifications

Meet medical standards

Be a successful throughout the Assessment Process

Be a Bahamian Citizen

All applicants must be a Bahamian citizen. You would be asked to present your

Bahamian passport and/or citizenship certificate during the hiring process. Please check out

Required Documents for more information.

Good of Character

You must possess a clean police character reference from The Criminal Records

Department of The Royal Bahamas Police Force. Be prepared to have your fingerprints taken,

which will be part of the initial hiring process. In addition to this, you will be required to include

information regarding any criminal, civil and traffic matters, arrest information and pending

court matters on the Preliminary Recruitment Form. All candidates should also possess the

following traits: honesty, integrity, courage, respect and loyalty. Our screening and background

check will determine if your personal history and character is suitable for a career in policing.

30
Be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old

All applications will be considered if you are between 18 and 30 years old. If you are over the

age of 30, you can still be part of the team.

Have high academic grades

Have academic qualification of not less than 4 BGCSE's at grades "C" or above or pass

the Police Academy's Entrance Examination in English Language, Mathematics, General

Knowledge and Intelligence at grades "C" or above. Please contact us or subscribe to our web-

mailing list to receive further information and updates on examination dates and schedules.

Meet Medical and Health standards

During the interview process, you will be required to do a physical, mental and medical

evaluation and you must meet the minimal standards as set out by the Training College.

Be successful throughout the Assessment Process

To be a successful candidate, you must pass all the exercises laid out in the Assessment

Process. Please see our section on the 

THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS (THE EXTENDED INTERVIEW)

The Extended Interview is an in depth assessment exercise conducted over a two day period at

the Training College by a group of assessors and recruitment officers of the Force that includes:

 Physical Fitness and Agility Test

 Dictation/Written Test

 Aptitude Test

 Psychological Assessment

31
  Medical Assessment

 Vetting and Background Check

If you are called for the extended interview, chances are you have successfully passed the

entrance examination and have met the required qualifications. Like any interview, it is required

that you get enough rest as possible the night before in order to be at the college at least an hour

before the scheduled time. The first day of the interview consists of the physical and

psychological evaluation test and the following day consist of the aptitude test, group discussion

and interview. It is strongly recommended that you dress appropriately by wearing a suit and a

tie, blazer and tie with matching pressed pants and shining shoes. No jeans. Females are advised

to wear a pant or dress suit. No tightly fitted clothing. Remember, first impression counts.

Physical Fitness Assessment

The Physical Fitness Assessment consists of five components. As a police officer, you

have to maintain a high level of physical fitness as a means of self-preservation. You and your

partner's survival depend on your commitment to being physically fit to handle the dangers of the

job. The Physical Evaluation Test is a strenuous test designed to simulate the actual physical

demands placed on police officers and is used to measure an applicant's strength, endurance,

flexibility, and balance. You should personally prepare yourself for the physical fitness test. If

you are not in top physical condition, it is advised that you begin as soon as possible to improve

areas where you may need work.

For this test, candidates will be required to do the following:

 Run one mile and a half

 Run a 100 meter figure 8 obstacle course,

 Sit ups

 Push ups

 Pull ups

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 The obstacle course measures a wide range of physical abilities that are necessary in police

work. This course will require you to jump over hurdles, climb over 6ft and 4 ft walls, crawl

through a piped tunnel, weave through cones and crawl underneath fences. During the test, an

instructor will describe the test and the requirements and answer any questions that you might

have.

On the morning of the test don’t overload yourself with a big breakfast. Have a light

breakfast or lunch so you don’t end up throwing up. It is recommended that applicants bring

water or Gatorade to the test. To replace potassium, bring along a banana as they are high in

potassium and will help you to prevent cramps later on. In addition to this, all applicants are

required to dress appropriately by wearing sports loose fitting clothes that do not restrict arm and

leg movements and some type of comfortable athletic shoes.

Don’t kill yourself just do the best you can. If you start to have problems such as cramps or

chest pains tell the instructor or medical personnel at the testing site immediately. Do not over

exert yourself if you suffer from any medical condition .Below are the entry-level physical

fitness tests and minimum requirements needed to pass.

Mile & 1/2 Run– Applicant runs a pre-established 1 & 1/2 mile run. (13 minutes for males and

15 minutes for females.

Obstacle Course- Applicants must run an obstacle course that includes climbing, jumping,

speed agility and crawling. (1:10s for males and 1:30s for females)

Push-ups – Maximum number of push-ups applicant can do in 1 minute. Resting in up position

permitted; knees cannot touch the floor. 36 minimum for males and 26 minimum for females

Sit-ups –36 minimum sit ups for males and 26 for females in 2 minutes; resting is allowed in the

up position without support of the applicant’s arms.

33
Pull-ups- 6 pull ups minimum for males and 4 for females

On completion of the test, all applicants will be required to shower and change at the training

college for the remainder of the interview process.

Psychological Assessment

The psychological exam is a standard psychological test. The purpose of the

psychological evaluation or screening is to determine whether or not a candidate is mentally

suitable to be a police officer. During this phase of the application process you are asked to take

a psychological examination conducted at the Training College by a trained psychiatrist. This

psychological exam is a written exam composed of about 200 multiple choice questions.

Medical Assessment

It is essential that you be in excellent health, which would restrict your ability to safely do police

work. The Medical Evaluation is thorough and it is essential that you be in excellent health with

no conditions, which would restrict your ability to safely do police work.

Vetting and Background Screening

If you meet the required standards, a thorough background investigation will be

conducted by our screening and investigating team. This type of investigation will include police

records, The Police Aptitude Test measure your potential for a police career. While you need to

be physically fit to be accepted into the police college, you also need to be mentally more

competent than your competitors. The test is usually a general aptitude test and does not ask

questions about the law. Employment, criminal and courts checks, interviews with neighbours,

friends, family and co-workers.

Aptitude Test

The Aptitude Test is designed to assess your logical reasoning or thinking performance and how

much you know about a certain topic. They consist of multiple choice questions and are

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administered under exam conditions. There aren't any special things that you need to prepare for

when it comes to aptitude tests to get into the police force; you just need to get into the proper

frame of mind. The Royal Bahamas Police Force employs approximately 3000 sworn

police members and more than 300 public servants in a range of challenging roles and

duties. Our objectives are to provide quality law enforcement service, with emphasis

on the maintenance of law and order, preservation of peace, the prevention and

detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders and the enforcement of all laws,

with partnership with citizens, residents and visitors. We are committed to providing

this service with a high degree of professionalism, through leadership and teams of

individuals who are competent, ethical and dedicated.

If you have always thought about joining the Police Force and want to make a positive

difference through service to people’s lives but you were not sure how to go about it, this section

can help guide you through the application and recruitment process.

Being a Police Officer is not always easy, and can be a very challenging task. But it is

very varied and extremely rewarding. Career opportunities exist with in many areas including

Community Policing, Scenes of Crime Investigation, Forensic Science, K9- Unit, Fire Services,

Mobile Patrol, Legal Service, Traffic Law Enforcement, Crime Prevention and Investigations,

Computer Operations, Electronic Communications, Drug Enforcement, Air Wing and Bicycle

Patrol, among others, with lots of room for promotion and progression.

Though not everyone can become a police officer, if you've done well in high school, are

in good physical condition and can pass a series of tests (including a background check), you're

in a terrific position to apply for a job that will likely be as rewarding as it is demanding.

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 V. FUNCTIONS, MISSION, VISION

RBPF VISION & MISSION STATEMENT

OUR VISION

Create safer communities

OUR MISSION

Delivering our service as a resourceful and professional Police Force

OUR MANDATE (IN LAW):

Maintenance of Law and Order

Preservation of the peace

Prevention and Detection of Crime

Apprehension of Offenders

Enforcement of Laws

OUR VALUES

Provide total law enforcement service in partnership with all citizens, residents and visitors

Respect individual human rights, reflecting fairness, sensitivity and compassion

Be firm in pursuit of all offenders of our laws

Ensure a safe society

Prevent crime and the fear of crime from adversely affecting the quality of life of residents

Provide a high degree of professionalism, competence, ethics and dedication

Discharge duties with courage, integrity and loyalty

RBPF Statement of Common Purpose and Values

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 The Royal Bahamas Police Force, in partnership with all citizens, residents and visitors,

exists to provide quality law enforcement service, with emphasis on the maintenance of law and

order, the preservation of peace, the prevention and detection of crime and the

enforcement of all laws with which it is charged.

We shall perform our duties in a manner which respects individual human rights and

which reflects fairness, sensitivity and compassion. Yet, we shall act in firm pursuit of all

offenders of our laws, so as to ensure a safe and just society, where neither crime nor the fear of

crime adversely affects the quality of life.

We shall accomplish these goals with a high degree of professionalism, through

leadership and teams of individuals who are competent, ethical and dedicated. We shall

discharge our duties with courage, integrity and loyalty and, being ever mindful of a changing

environment, with a willingness to embrace justified criticism and the need for change.

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 REFERENCES

http://www.royalbahamaspolice.org/history/formation3.phpWorking Together To Make the

Bahamas A Safer Place to Live, Work, Visit and Play

http://www.royalbahamaspolice.org/careers/joiningtherbpf.html reserved Delivering our service

as a resourceful and professional Police Force

http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/SUBORDINATE/1965/1965-

0126/PoliceDisciplinaryRegulations_1.pdf

http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/1965/1965-

0029/PoliceAct_1.

https://www.tenk.fi/sites/tenk.fi/files/CV_english_270613.pdf

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 CURRICULUM VITAE

1. Full name and date.

 John Rey Ramos

 Male

 December 2, 2019

2. Date and place of birth, nationality, current residence.

 January 15, 2000 Malolos Calumpit, Bulacan

 Filipino

 Barangay Banay-banay, St. Matthew’s Subdivision

 Johnrey_r@yahoo.com /09565998618

3. Education Degrees and awarded.

 Bachelor of Science in Criminology, Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa

 Senior High School, Fernando Air Base Integrated National High School

 Junior High School, Fernando Air Base, Lipa City

 Fernando Air Base National High School Fernando Air Base Lipa City

 Elementary, Perez West Elementary School Quezon City

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