St. Maarten Police Force – Challenges yes, but moving with confidence into the future. | The Peoples Tribune

The St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM) is navigating a period of transformation, addressing both longstanding challenges and opportunities for growth. With 205 personnel currently serving, including administrative staff, the force is operating significantly below its ideal staffing level of 333 as outlined in the Justice Function Book. Despite this gap, KPSM is actively working to strengthen its ranks through recruitment and retention strategies, investing in officer development, and fostering community trust. By embracing innovative technologies, expanding training programs, and leveraging local, regional, and international partnerships, KPSM aims to create a more efficient and effective law enforcement body that can better serve the needs of the community.

How many police officers are currently serving in the St. Maarten Police Force?

205, total organization, including administrative personnel.

What is the ideal number of officers needed for optimal functioning?

Function book: 333 FTE

Can you provide an update on the ongoing recruitment drive? How successful has it been so far?

During the recent recruitment phase, approximately 50 individuals were interviewed for prospective officer positions. Out of the 50 candidates interviewed, 7 individuals were deemed qualified to proceed.

The selected candidates will join their counterparts from the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (KPCN) to form the Class of 2025. This collaborative training program will be held on Sint Maarten

What are the biggest challenges in recruiting new officers, and how is the force addressing them?

All of the Governmental agencies are looking for personnel. Everyone “fishes in the same pond”. So recruiting is very difficult for all of Sint Maarten.

Many candidates face difficulties in meeting the physical standards required for the demanding nature of police work.

Another significant challenge is the educational level of applicants. Policing today requires a strong foundation in various subjects.

A number of applicants do not meet the psychological criteria needed for this profession.

What measures are in place to ensure that officers remain in the force long-term? Are there specific incentives or programs designed to retain officers?

Continuous Education and Professional Development. One of KPSM primary retention strategies is investing in the education and professional growth of our officers. KPSM offers ongoing training and development opportunities to ensure that personnel remain well-equipped to handle the evolving challenges of law enforcement. This includes specialized training in areas such as investigative techniques, crisis management, and community engagement.

Management Development Program. The Management Development Program is a cornerstone of our retention efforts. This program is designed to identify and cultivate leadership potential within the force.

Proper Placement and Role Alignment. A critical focus for KPSM is ensuring that officers are placed in the correct functions and pay scales as outlined in the Justice Function Book. Aligning roles and compensation with the guidelines of this book is crucial, especially as misalignment has been identified as a factor contributing to retention challenges.

Officer Motivation: How does the leadership ensure that officers remain motivated and committed to their duties, especially in challenging times?

To achieve this, KPSM is implementing several strategies that focus on support, recognition, and professional growth such as:

Opportunities for Professional Development

Support Systems During Challenging Times (BOT Team)

What is the current morale among officers, and how do you handle instances of low morale or burnout?

This is an important issue, which is challenging because of the lack of budget to address capacity issues, mental health and personal wellbeing. KPSM works with Mental Health training programs like Mental Health First aid to strengthen our officers. But the last few years were very demanding with the lack of capacity and the long-term issues with the finishing of the function book.

Are there plans to introduce new technologies or methods to enhance the skills and efficiency of the police force?

AI and new technologies are very important in the next coming years. KPSM is already using some technologies but is again dependent of sufficient budget to invest in these technologies. Within the Kingdom relations cooperation in these fields are being adapted.

How is the police force fostering stronger relationships with the community to improve public safety and trust?

The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is committed to building and maintaining strong relationships with the community as a fundamental strategy for improving public safety and trust. Community policing approach is central to this effort and is guided by several key principles and methods:

Community Policing Officers (CPOs) Assigned to Districts

Information-Guided Policing (whereby KPSM employs an information-driven approach to guide our operations. We use crime data, trend analyses, and community feedback to develop targeted interventions. This ensures that our resources are deployed effectively and that our strategies are responsive to the real needs of the community.)

Is there a structured way for the public to provide feedback or raise concerns about the police force’s performance?

Community Policing Officers (CPOs) One of the primary channels for feedback is through our Community Police Officers (CPOs), who are assigned to specific districts.

Hotline and Email: KPSM provides a hotline and email address specifically for receiving public feedback.

The Department of Communication uses social media as a vital tool for engaging with the public. Through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and residents can communicate directly with the police, report issues, and share feedback

Internal Review and Response Process

Once feedback or complaints are received, they are reviewed through an internal process. Depending on the nature of the concern, cases are either resolved directly or escalated to the appropriate department for further investigation.

Beyond recruitment, what other strategies or changes are planned to strengthen the police force in the coming years?

This really depends on the approved budget and financial possibilities within the Ministry of Justice. Strengthening however is not always more personnel, but also create more cooperation within the Justice Chain and other Ministries to tackle society problems in a multidisciplinary and inter-ministerial way.

The use of more technology could also strengthen the police force further. International cooperation with the French counterparts and within the Kingdom relations can also improve the police forces of the islands together. Smart solutions are necessary when budgets are tight. There are more than enough possibilities that can be explored together: strength through cooperation.

Are there partnerships with other local or regional organizations to bolster resources and support for the police force?

KPSM is proud of its national, regional and international partnerships. Of course within the Government and communities of Sint Maarten, the French counterparts, the Netherlands, the countries within the Kingdom through the board of police chiefs of the Kingdom islands, other Caribbean countries through the association of Caribbean chiefs of police ACCP and of course international cooperation with the USA and Interpol.

How does the force measure its success in maintaining law and order? Are there specific benchmarks or metrics in place?

KPSM uses a dashboard, which provides management information on a strategical and operational level. Through information-based policing the dashboard is filled and is it possible to measure output and effectiveness.

Source: The Peoples Tribune https://www.thepeoplestribunesxm.com