VIPD Facing Acute Employee Shortage With 43 Personnel on Extended Leave, Leading to Higher Overtime Payouts and Burnout; Senators Question Budget Decrease

When the Committee on Finance met Wednesday, they questioned whether the V.I. Police Department had presented a budget reflective of the actual funds it needed to operate the department for the next fiscal year. The VIPD has asked for $71,372,356, which is $6,350,274 less than the $77,722,630 which was appropriated to the department for the year 2022. With so much left to do to maintain and improve the police force in the Virgin Islands, Committee Chairman Kurt Vialet said he did not think the requested amount was “adequate” to fund the department. The VIPD needs to pay overtime, recruit more staff, conduct major repairs on its buildings and contend with almost half a million dollars yearly increase in rental fees among other funding needs. That is why Senator Donna Frett-Gregory said she too does not believe the request is enough, as she urged Police Commissioner Ray Martinez to realistically reflect the amounts needed to protect and serve Virgin Islanders.  “We don’t sacrifice o...