Long-serving senior Anguillian police officer, Deputy Commissioner, Illidge Richardson, has been praised for his high level of commitment to policing on the island and the respect and dignity with which he bore himself.

The commendation came from Chief Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Osbourne Fleming, and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Victor Banks, at their press conference on Tuesday this week.

Outgoing Deputy Commissioner, Illidge Richardson

“I want to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt appreciation for the work done by Illidge Richardson, Deputy Commissioner of Police,” Mr. Fleming said. “I must tell you that I have been very impressed by this young man. He has been very supportive of my office. I could depend on him. No matter where I was he would always keep me abreast of what was happening in the Police Force and I am really going to miss him. I hope that somebody else would take over the mantle and stand in his place and do the same while I remain in office for the next few months.
“I wish him all the best in his retirement. I think there is a still a lot left in him. He is still a young man, very respectful. The people like him a lot and I hope that he would continue to contribute to the development of Anguilla in a way that he could do so.”

Mr. Banks joined Mr. Fleming in extending his good wishes to Mr. Richardson in his retirement. “He has been a part of the Royal Anguilla Police Force from his youth,” he went on. “We have over the years experienced his passion for policing and his leadership in many ways over that period. I know he has the respect of members of the Force as well as the community. He has been an exemplary officer and certainly we will miss him. As he moves on to another stage of his life, I am sure that he will embark on other areas of industry and enterprise which his skills and reputation fit for, going forward. I would like to wish him and his family all the best.”

Mr. Richardson has served for 32 years in the Royal Anguilla Police Force. Six of those years he served as Deputy Commissioner and acted as Commissioner on various occasions. He began his pre-retirement leave on Monday this week and will officially retire at the end of this month.

The Anguillian joins in thanking Mr. Richardson for his long tenure of service and for the information he readily made available during the Police weekly press conferences which he chaired.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News