St. Kitts, August 16, 2019 (SKNIS): The encouragement of family and friends was a key factor that motivated Kurth Daniel of Saddlers Village and Oksana Doyling of McKnight to join the ranks of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF). However, the decision came down to one important factor – opportunities for self-fulfilment.
Daniel’s influence came from a friend who went through the process of becoming a police officer a few years ago and recommended that he do the same. The message was echoed by two siblings, who are members of Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department. But Daniel said the desire to “make something of himself” drove him to sign up.
Doyling stated that her godmother, a former port security officer, sat her down one day and pointed out the career opportunities that came along with a job in law enforcement. The advice was in line with the young woman’s personal goals.
Daniel and Doyling were joined by 32 other recruits in January 2019 and began what turned out to be some six months of rigorous training and practical on-the-job experience. Three members of Course 43 withdrew their services, unable to cope with the demands of the training. The duo endured to the end.
“It was good,” Doyling said, adding that the robust training forced the recruits to improve their habits. “Some people liked to be late but [the training forces] you to be on time and they taught you how to be disciplined as well.”
Daniel describes himself as a “natural leader.” He said assignments at the Basseterre Police Station allowed him to showcase this skill. “SPO’s (Senior Police Officers) always congratulated me on putting out that type of extra effort,” he stated.
Police Constable (PC) 936 Daniel and Woman Police Constable (WPC) Doyling graduated from the Police Training School on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at the Passing Out Parade for Course 43. Daniel earned an award for Best at Kit and Turn Out, which speaks to the attention to detail in uniform preparation.
As a full-fledged police officer, PC Daniel said he will “continue to show his leadership skill and help to encourage people in the Force and the community.”
“Community policing is very much needed because without having the community standing side by side with us the police we may not know who are committing crimes and who actually needs help,” he stated. “Once a community is safe then we can have a better country.”
WPC Doyling thanked her godmother who encouraged her to join the force noting that “I’m happy because I actually reached far from where I was before. I would like to further my education [by] going on courses, getting more advanced level subjects, and going higher in the police ranks.”
Constables Daniel and Doyling and the other 29 graduates will soon be deployed throughout St. Kitts and Nevis with the words of Inspector Eldrin Dickenson, Commandant of the Police Training School, ringing in their ears – “Assume Nothing, Believe No One, but Confirm Everything.” That he says is the ABC of Policing.