NASSAU — The Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) manpower audit revealed that only about half of the constables needed are present on the force – a critical deficiency in the organization’s recruitment process, the Nassau Guardian reported on May 17.
The 2018 audit, tabled by Minister of National Security Marvin Dames in the House of Assembly yesterday, outlines critical challenges in the organization from the resource management practices, flawed and biased promotion exercises, and the senior command of the force being too top-heavy, the latter of which the audit recommends becoming more lean “because there appears to be a lack of conceptual, transformational leadership”.
“The agency had a considerable amount of officers working in non-traditional areas which meant their services were not being fully utilized in core policing functions,” the audit said. “…Approximately 16 percent of all officers were deployed within the senior ranks which is creating over saturation.”
The audit noted that the influx of strength to the senior ranks of the force does not necessarily meet the required manpower resources and policing functions necessary to operate the force effectively.
“This disproportionate use of human capital means that the RBPF is unable to adequately address some of the most pressing issues facing the organization and, by extension, the country,” it said.
At the time of the report, there were 2,600 officers – 410 senior officers and 2,190 junior officers. Seventy-four percent of the force was stationed in New Providence. Another 18 percent was stationed on Grand Bahama, and eight percent on the Family Islands.
According to the report, only 34 percent of the force worked as uniformed officers on the front lines. It said the number was a concern because uniformed officers represent the first line of defense.
