June 25, 2007 — In hopes of turning the V.I. Police Department into a more efficient crime-fighting entity, the police commissioner announced Monday the appointments of a new team of officials responsible for overseeing operations on all three islands.
The new teams consists of two district chiefs and three deputy chiefs of police, Commissioner James H. McCall said. He has appointed Lt. Thomas Hannah as the permanent chief of police on St. Croix and Lt. Rodney Querrard as the chief for the St. Thomas/St. John/Water Island district, according to a news release.
Hannah will permanently take over for acting chief of police Winsbut L. McFarlande, while Querrard replaces acting Chief Milton Petersen Sr.
When contacted Monday afternoon, McCall explained that he has also selected a deputy chief for each island, which will help the VIPD localize its operations throughout the district. According to McCall, Lt. Raphael Bramble, Lt. Melvin Venzen and Sgt. Darren Foy will fill the posts on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, respectively.
"The appointments made today bring a little bit more diversity to the department," McCall said, explaining that each new official carries with him a wealth of experience in all levels of police operations.
Hannah, for example, is a 20-year police veteran, formerly serving in such capacities as VIPD's territorial public-information officer and director of training. He also spent 12 years assigned to the department's Planning, Research and Development Bureau, where he helped to bolster police planning and response techniques through the analysis of statistical data taken from criminal incidents, according to the news release. Hannah began his career with the VIPD in 1987 as an officer assigned to the Juvenile Bureau.
Bramble and Querrard also began their careers with the VIPD in 1987. Bramble's assignments have included tours of duty with the department's Special Operations Bureau and the Traffic and Patrol divisions, while Querrard takes up his post as a district chief of police after serving an eight-year stint in the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration Joint Task Force, assigned to the high-intensity drug-trafficking area (HIDTA) unit.
Venzen is also no stranger to the department, having joined the VIPD in 1982. Before getting appointed a deputy chief, Venzen served as zone commander of the Special Operations Bureau at the Bassanio David Command post on St. Thomas. Though Venzen retired from the force in 2004 after working for 22 years, he was reinstated to active duty nine months later.
Foy also brings a wealth of experience, having taken on a number of different assignments during his 15-year law-enforcement career. While his most recent assignment was with the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force, Foy has also served as training instructor at the VIPD Training Academy and has worked with the department's forensics unit.
"I think the community will be able to see that this team brings a different dynamic to the mix at this point," McCall said Monday. Over the past few months the five appointees have been involved in an extensive vetting process conducted by the department, which involves numerous background checks and evaluations, he added.
While anxious to move forward with the new team of individuals, McCall also commended McFarlande and Petersen for the work they have done over the past four months.
"Both did a great job in these positions and should be commended," he said. "I have a lot of respect for both."
Not everyone in the community feels the same, however. At a recent legislative hearing, Sen. Carmen Wesselhoft and members of the St. Croix Women's Coalition claimed that one of the former chiefs — no names were mentioned on the record — has been involved in a number of domestic-violence situations.
The new appointments were effective on Monday, the release said.
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