Revitalizing Assurance: Operation Restore Confidence 2.0 Unleashed

In 2011, Saint Lucia faced a troubling rise in violent crime, prompting Prime Minister Stephenson King and Acting Police Commissioner Vernon Francois to initiate Operation Restore Confidence (ORC). King issued a resolute warning to criminals, asserting, “There will be no hiding place for anyone.” This led to establishing a specialized unit dubbed the “black squad,” responsible for raids in various crime-afflicted areas. The operation resulted in the deaths of twelve men, attracting criticism from the United States, which labeled these events as “unlawful police killings” in its 2011 Human Rights Report, influencing the suspension of US police training assistance. In 2014, the Kenny Anthony government commissioned an inquiry into ORC, concluding in 2015 that police shootings were misclassified in murder statistics. The findings implicated corrupt officials and police officers in perpetuating crime. Fast-forward to 2024, with 77 homicides reported last year and 40 already this year, public trust in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has severely deteriorated amid internal scandals and allegations of misconduct. The urgent need for a revamped Operation Restore Confidence echoes louder than ever.