Hadaway to step up to COP post John to resume police service

Deputy Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway is expected to take up the top spot in the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) when the current Commissioner of Police (COP) Michael Charles goes on pre-retirement leave on August 1st.

Hadaway, who has been appointed in an acting capacity, joined the police force in 1982.

Originally from Spring Village, Hadaway has a wealth of experience in policing, as he has plied his trade not only here, but around the region.{{more}}

He was appointed Deputy COP on November 1, 2011 and once served as officer in charge of the SSU. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and has received wide-ranging training in the United States, Barbados, El Salvador, Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica.

Over the years, Hadaway has been trained in Psychological Operations, Civil Military Operation, Range Supervision, Small Arms, Anti-Terrorist Tactics, Anti-Narcotics and Anti-Riot Tactics. He is also a trained Internal Security instructor, and has received training in Instructional Methods, Leadership,Management, Critical Incident Command and Humanitarian Law.

Other changes in the top ranks of the police force will see Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Colin John, effective August 1, also returning to the constabulary as Deputy Commissioner of Police (ag). John had risen to the rank of Station Sergeant before retiring from the police force to join the prosecution service as Crown Counsel II, when he completed his Bar exams. He was appointed Assistant DPP in 2012.

It is widely believed that John is being groomed to take over as COP from Hadaway, who is expected to retire in 2017.

COP Charles, who next week will spend his last week on the job, has been a police officer for 35 years. He took up the job as top cop in 2013, replacing Keith Miller, who had served as COP for eight years.

Charles worked as a beat officer on entering the constabulary and was later transferred to the Special Services Unit (SSU). He also worked in the Narcotics Division, where he spent 10 years. After the governing Unity Labour Party (ULP) came to power in 2001, Charles served as head of security for Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and remained in that position until 2005, when he was promoted to the rank of Station Sergeant and eventually the COP position.