We join in saying a hearty thanks and goodbye to Mitchell Harrigan for his distinguished service and leadership role in the Royal Anguilla Police Force. We are grateful to him for leaving the island with a workable and useful community/policing contract to further the aims of law and order and the promotion of peace in our fair land. At the same time, we welcome Keithly Benjamin the new Commissioner and wish him every success during his tenure of office.

Everybody who attended the handing over ceremony should have felt a measure of pride as they looked at the smart men and women of the Force which has come a long way from the early days of its establishment. They have now entered a new phase under the command of Mr. Benjamin on whose shoulders rests the burden of protecting the peace, order and security of the island. But it is a burden which his senior management team and all other ranks must also share with equal responsibility. As a trained lawyer he has the capacity to lead them even better in the application and interpretation of the law and they must be aware of this and grasp the opportunity.

His moving acceptance speech, loaded with fresh measures and ideas for crime control, the preservation of the pride of the island and appeals for the support of all and sundry, is a blueprint for law and order in Anguilla. The standing ovation he received was not only a demonstration of appreciation for a well-delivered address. It was a show of support for the uncompromising and effective manner in which he proposes to deal with such criminal activities as burglary, drug trafficking, sexual abuse, physical violence including village rivalries and other crimes as well as reckless driving. The standing ovation was also in recognition of his determination to stamp out all forms of indiscipline in the Force for if there is to be order and discipline in the society, it must start with the Police. The Bible says “Blessed are the peacemakers…” and they must strive for that blessing.

All of us, Anguillians, belongers and visitors alike want to feel safe in Anguilla and we must strengthen the hand of Commissioner Benjamin and those under his command to give us the protection he so ably spoke about. His call to persons in the various villages to become actively involved in the community/policing consultative committees must not go unheeded for therein lie their own protection and wellbeing. His officers and all ranks must also heed his call for support and the Government too must give whatever assistance is required to promote a crime free and just society.

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