Old-timers in police force rewarded |12 January 2015

Long-serving officers of the Seychelles Police Force have been rewarded.

They received awards and medals on Friday during their annual meeting with the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan, who is responsible for the police.

The event was attended by senior and other officers of the force, partners and other distinguished guests.

The meeting has become an annual event on the police calendar where the minister highlights the force’s achievements, challenges, failures and the way forward to overcome those challenges.

The medals were awarded to police officers who have served, 44, 40, 35, 25, 20 and 15 years in the force. Chief superintendent Guy Roucou is the oldest serving officer and he received the Meritorious medal award for his long term of service. Chief superintendent Philip Cecile received the long service medal, having clocked  40 years in the force, while the Medal of Valour went to assistant superintendent Abraham Isaac for his courage, devotion and good character.
 
While thanking the police officers for their hard work in 2014, Minister Morgan said that sometimes he had to ‘breathe down their neck’ as they say because sometimes his role and responsibility call for that.

It is also to ensure that they maintain focus on their objectives and targets so as to deliver.

He also acknowledged that this past year has not been easy for the force as demand for services has increased tremendously with planned and unplanned events, making their tasks at times more challenging.

“With all the challenges faced in 2014, the police force nonetheless managed to stabilise the level of crime committed in some areas, while in others you worked with diligence to arrest negative trends which caused a slight increase to the level of crime nationally, this being  3% rise,” said minister Morgan, adding that the force’s objectives this year is to see once again a reduction in the level of crime in our country.

The minister also noted the achievements of last year which in certain areas he said can be used to solidify the force’s approach as regards to police operations for the year and for the future so thay they can aspire to achieve even more.

“Where the police force has not achieved well then it must better prepare itself and to plan accordingly for I will not permit a substandard police service whatsoever,” said the minister.

He also mentioned the need for a good human resources section to achieve a good level of personnel and personal development.

The creation of the Police Marine Unit, which will be fully commissioned this year following the arrival of new boats and the assistance of the EU Navfor are other accomplishments and an added and needed boost to the force’s overall efforts in the fight to detect, deter and apprehend criminals using the sea around us for their criminal activities but as well as for curbing wild life crime and poaching.

As on land with vehicles, the minister said the force will modernise its legislation where needed so that boat operators can operate their craft with safety in mind and to a legal standard.

The minister also talked on both local and international training which have benefitted the police force; the launch in April of the ‘Crime Stopper’ campaign which is gaining momentum and being accepted by the public; the restructuring in the police force which he said must be regarded as a positive move; the expected arrival of 12 vehicles by April 2015 to boost up patrol and field operations and 30 more later this year through a grant from the government of India and the continuous struggle against drug use.

“Let me assure you that the best for the Seychelles Police Force is yet to come and both the government and I will continue to give our best to make it happen,” said Minister Morgan.

As for the Commissioner of Police, Ernest Quatre, he expressed his and the force’s appreciation for both the minister’s and government’s support towards the force during last year and ensuring the same for this year.

“May I take the opportunity to salute the courage, devotion of all those who had committed themselves for the betterment of the force,” Commissioner Quatre while informing fellow officers that the police force is an icon of discipline, not just an enforcer of the law and order.

“The people are always looking at you with high expectation and a proper exemplary force will receive maximum cooperation from the communities in which you operate. This builds the confidence of the people in the force and facilitates the work of the police, which means you must have self-control and lead a discipline style,” added the commissioner of police.

There were also presentations by superintendents Bruce Bursik on the crime statistics and Sean Jacqueline on the ‘Arrive Alive’ campaign.
Late police officer Ericson Jules, who died on duty last year in a hit and run accident, was also honoured with the Police Cross, which was collected by his father.

Chief superintendent Philip Cecile had a vote of thanks on behalf of all his colleagues in which he urged them all to continue giving that good service.
The event was animated by a performance from Patrick Victor and the police choir. They sang a song entitled “Later Kot Mon’n Ne”.

This was followed by the cutting of cake by Minister Morgan, high officials and representatives of each unit of the Seychelles Police Force.