In the face of mounting public criticism over recent acquittals in high-profile cases, Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce has announced a renewed commitment to investigative excellence, declaring that the Barbados Police Service can no longer tolerate poorly executed casework that leads to suspects walking free.
Addressing the media Sunday evening at Police Headquarters, he responded to concerns about the quality of police investigations. Earlier this month, High Court judge Justice Donna Babb-Agard urged lawmen investigating gun crimes to “do better” as a case which fell “far short of the standard required to go before the jury” allowed a man, who was charged with having a .40 Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol and ten rounds of ammunition, to walk free.
“Firearms endanger lives. They fuel violence and they undermine the public confidence in law and order. As a result, there exists a greater burden on police investigators to be thorough in the discharge of their duties. The failure of police investigators to dutifully record all oral statements attributed to an accused in official police notebooks and/or written statements, in spite of the access to sound and video recording equipment, cannot be dismissed as a minor error. It is material,” she declared while upholding a no-case submission from the accused’s attorney.
In addition, a prominent attorney attributed several courtroom losses by the State to “shoddy work” by law enforcement officers.
“Any case which is dismissed before the courts is a headache for us,” Boyce stated yesterday. “We take it very seriously. We call for the files, do the reviews and determine exactly where officers went wrong.”
He revealed that an internal audit and retraining protocol has been activated, with special attention being paid to modern investigative techniques, procedural compliance and evidence handling.
Retraining programmes
“This is 2025. There is no time for shoddy work to go before the court,” the commissioner said sternly. “Every person is entitled to justice, and we in the police service owe it to the victims, the organisation and the country to present the strongest cases possible.”
To that end, the Regional Police Training Centre has been tasked with implementing continuous retraining programmes for officers at all ranks. Boyce confirmed that all operational personnel – from junior constables to senior investigators – are now part of a rotating programme that covers evidence gathering, case file management, witness
coordination and courtroom preparation.
“This is not a one-off fix. Training is ongoing and will remain so. We want to rebuild a culture of investigative rigour, where every officer understands that a conviction begins with the first action taken at the crime scene,” he explained.
He noted that while a few cases had been poorly handled in the past, the public must not conflate individual failures with the overall capacity of the service. He argued that recent gains – including a string of firearm seizures and clearer linkages between suspects and multiple crimes – demonstrated that the force was strengthening its intelligence and investigative capabilities.
“When we investigate recent cases, we are connecting dots from one crime scene to another. That kind of analytical work is how we develop solid leads and establish persons of interest. And yes, we are seeing positive results.”
Still, Boyce conceded that the damage to public confidence required proactive repair. In response, a specialised internal unit has been instructed to review key unsolved cases and provide strategic feedback to divisional commanders. Meanwhile, newer investigators will be paired with experienced mentors to reduce the risk of procedural missteps.
“It is not just about catching suspects, it’s about ensuring those suspects face full accountability in the courtroom,” he said. “That means airtight files, reliable evidence and clear testimony.”
The Commissioner also touched on the psychological toll that failed cases can take on victims’ families and front-line officers. In such circumstances, he said, the force must show empathy but also reinforce discipline internally to ensure standards are met.
“Justice delayed or denied shakes the foundation of trust in our system, and that’s why this reform effort is non-negotiable. We will keep reviewing, keep training and we will correct what needs correcting.
“Accountability is not a threat. It’s a tool for excellence, and we will use it to build a stronger, smarter police service for the people of Barbados.”
(CLM)
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