PHILIPSBURG--Four detectives took the oath to join the National Detective Service of the St. Maarten Police Force. Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson witnessed the oath-taking ceremony, which took place on December 3.

 

The ceremony was performed by Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice Udon Aron. The four detectives are specialists in various areas: two are tactical detectives; one is a financial detective, and the last detective is a coordinator Operational Affairs.

 

This brings the complement of detectives to 12 within the St. Maarten Police Force. The service has been growing since 2010. The Ministry of Justice expects to have the detective service of St. Maarten up to full capacity in 2015 with eight additional members.

 

"The country's judicial and law enforcement system is not sitting by. We are moving forward and have been doing so since the achievement of country status in October 2010. We have our own plan of action, where we would like to have our different agencies manpower at a level where they can function effectively and efficiently, and we are making progress and this oath-taking ceremony was a concrete step in our fight against crime," Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson said on Friday.