A half-dozen officers of the Virgin Islands Police Department – three from St. Thomas and three from St. John – were honored as officers of the month for March, April and May during a ceremony Wednesday at the Gramboko Building in Sub Base, St. Thomas.
One other officer was selected for the month of June.
Supervisors heaped praises on the selected officers, who received certificates, weekend hotel stays and other giveaways from the Hotel and Tourism Association and the department.
A similar ceremony will be held on St. Croix on Tuesday at the Violet Damideaux Pavilion at the Patrick Sweeney Headquarters in Estate Golden Grove.
The officers recognized Wednesday were:
St. Thomas
- March – Officer Roy Chesterfield is assigned to the School Security Bureau. As the founder of the Law and You Program, Officer Chesterfield remains the backbone of this school-based program which he implements in the middle schools. The program teaches students about the laws of the Virgin Islands, their responsibility to follow the laws and the consequences for those who don’t. Through the proram Chesterfield affects the lives of more than 300 junior high school children yearly. He also imparts his knowledge to parents at PTA meetings and to young adults at the University of the Virgin Islands.
- April – Officer Kendelth Wharton is assigned to the Special Operations Bureau. In this capacity, officer Wharton was solely responsible for confiscation of three of the nine firearms the bureau seized in April. Officer Wharton also is available to assist patrol officers whenever there is a case. He has made four arrests in April and continues to be an asset to the Special Operations Bureau and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
- May – Officer LaToya Schneider is assigned to the Zone A Command Burglary Unit. She is an aggressive, assertive and conscientious officer. Her major duties on the squad are related to community relations and as such, Schneider has maintained contact with more than 50 burglary victims, keeping them up to date on the progress of their case. Her efforts have gone a long way to improving the perception of the Virgin Islands Police Department in the eyes of these unfortunate victims of crime. Schneider has helped bridge the gap in the manpower shortage in this zone by assisting in and investigating 39 cases, issuing 10 traffic tickets, making two arrests and recovering property valued at more than $2,000 dollars.
- June – Officer Joycelyn Lee Bobb is assigned to Zone A Command. Being a senior officer, she knows the importance of lending a helping hand and her assistance to her peers and superiors is outstanding, according to the announcement of her award. She is always willing to share her knowledge and skills and never expects any type of compensation or favoritism. Her dedication to her job is also seen in her work performance. She has investigated 41 cases, made three arrests – two being felony cases – issued 46 traffic citations, issued one Security Awareness Form and participated in 12 directed patrols in the month June.
St. John
- March – Officer Richard Dominguez is the only K-9 officer who lives on St. John and is assigned to St. John. He and his German shepherd partner, Ares, recently conducted a canine training session for St. John officers. The training familiarized officers on the ways trained dogs can be utilized to retrieve and locate people or items. In March, Dominquez made three arrests, two of them in felony cases. Through his diligence, more than $4,500 in jewelry and other personal items previously stolen were recovered, according to his citation.
- April – Officer Dahlia Richardson is assigned to the Patrol Division of the Leander Jurgen Command. She is an extrovert by nature, and the community regularly sees her patrolling the Coral Bay area, talking with St. John residents. Richardson is always ready to listen and respond to the needs of the community. Her methods of community policing benefits the Virgin Islands Police Department as it helps to build community partnerships and relationships. Richardson is a former Police Auxiliary officer who has becom a valued full-time officer.
- May – Officer Sharon Bachan is stationed at Leander Jurgen Command. As a former Police Auxiliary officer she has shown a readiness to accept the challenges of a law enforcement career, the department noted. In May, Bachan handled seven arrests, including two domestic violence cases. She also assisted with traffic enforcement initiatives which resulted in 31 traffic citations.
On hand at Wednesday’s presentation were Hotel and Tourism Association president Lisa Hamilton, St. Thomas Community Integration Team chairperson Mary Gleason as well as Assistant Police Commissioner Raymond L. Hyndman, St. Thomas/St. John Police Chief Rodney Querrard, St. Thomas Deputy Chief Dwayne DeGraff and St. John Deputy Chief Darren Foy.
