Commissioner of Police, Clayton Fernander traveled to Grand Bahama on Wednesday for the handing over ceremony of the command of the Northern Bahamas to newly promoted Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Shanta Knowles.
While addressing members of the media at the event Fernander expressed his support for women in police. “I just came from a Commissioners conference just next door in Florida where I met with all the Commissioners within the Caribbean. And among the Commissioners within the Caribbean there were two female Commissioners amongst that from Trinidad and also from St. Lucia. And you could see that there is a female knocking on the door to be the next Commissioner of Police.”
The Commissioner also shared the motive behind his decision to appoint ACP Knowles as the first female in charge of the Northern Bahamas. “She has proven, repeatedly, over and over. And it was my decision after I consult with my other senior executive team members and we had a vote and everybody on the team agreed.”
Fernander further expounded on the role of women have played in policing over the years. “We had two Deputy Commissioners, females, and who even acted. A Deputy Commissioner of Police, female, who acted as Commissioner of Police, so that door is pretty much wide open,” he said.
ACP Shanta Knowles takes over from ACP Bernard K. Bonamy who is set to retire.
