Police Welfare Association elects executive

A new Executive for the Police Welfare Association was elected last Thursday, with Station Sergeant Brenton Smith returning as the Chairman for the senior branch.

The new executive was voted in at an annual general meeting held at the Old Montrose Police Station on January 31.

It was announced that Smith, who has been Chairman for nine years with only a two year gap for studies, will be the Chairman for the Senior Branch, and that Inspector Niel Jack will serve as Secretary, with Sergeant Biorn Duncan also included in this branch.

The decision last week followed a preliminary process in which votes were cast by police officers at different police stations, for the candidates seeking to hold office.

“So when those persons were selected, then they had to have a general meeting to determine who the overall winners would be,” Smith informed during an interview with SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.

For the intermediate branch, Corporal Lez Harry sits as the Chairman, and Corporal Douglas Caesar as the secretary. Lastly, with regard to the Junior Branch, Constable Carlson Hackshaw was appointed the Chairman and Constable Rosalo McKie the secretary. Donhenrea Bascombe was appointed the general secretary.

“It’s a humble feeling, that despite the challenges, it tells me that the membership still has confidence in what we are doing, they understand the struggles, they understand my genuineness,” Smith, who has been a police officer for 25 years, stated about being elected.

He said that for the upcoming year, on the agenda will be pension reform, increased allowances and the condition of some police stations.

Smith named the Central Police Station, Chateaubelair, and Georgetown police stations as needing attention as well as the Special Services Unit(SSU) base.

With regard to the new Executive, the Chairman noted that there were both new and experienced members. “A lot of persons came on for the first time; they are very passionate, they are vibrant and ready to go, they understand the name and the responsibility in which they are taking up,” he stated.