Police commissioner tight-lipped on retirement, successor

Police commissioner tight-lipped on retirement, successor
Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson

“I don’t appoint commissioners” says Ferguson

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson remained tight-lipped yesterday about his possible retirement from the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), just days after Minister of National Security Marvin Dames suggested his time as head of the organization is “nearing the end”.

Responding to questions from the media at his annual meet the press, Ferguson said: “I am not going to say anything to that.

“I don’t appoint commissioners. That’s not my job, so I am not going to touch that Royston.”

Dames said Sunday said Ferguson was “nearing the end of his reign” as commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Addressing the officers during the RBPF’s annual church service, the minister said the commissioner, who has served as its leader for more than two years, should be excited to move on as he, like many others, are “all just passing through.

Dames said: “Commissioner Ferguson, by now you and your executive team should know by name the next generation of police leaders. You should not be intimidated to call their names, nor should you be afraid to prepare them for future leadership. That is what good leaders do.

Ferguson, 59, has served on the force for nearly 40 years.

He joined the organization in 1980.

He was appointed in October 2017, succeeding Ellison Greenslade, who served as commissioner since January 2010 and was appointed as Bahamas High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in November 2017.

During his tenure on the force, Ferguson has serving as supervisor of the Sexual Offences and Serious Crime Squads of the Criminal Investigations Department head of Central Detective Unit, the Homicide Squad and the Drug Enforcement Unit.

Dames has repeatedly touched on the restructuring the police force.

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.