FBI Agents in St. Kitts and Nevis to Train, Not Investigate
Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS) — Law enforcement officials in St. Kitts and Nevis have stated that personnel from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are here to conduct training of security personnel and not investigations of any sort.
Commissioner of Police Celvin G. Walwyn revealed that St. Kitts and Nevis is a sovereign country and if any external agencies wish to conduct inquiries, his office would have to be informed.
“As of date, I have not been notified of any investigation by any external agency and there are no FBI agents here [in St. Kitts and Nevis] conducting any investigations,” he stated categorically. “We do have FBI agents here but they were invited by me, through the United States Department of Justice [Regional Legal Advisor for the Caribbean] Major Coleman to conduct some much needed training which is what we are doing this week. With reference to the allegations they are nil, they are void. There is no such investigation happening in the Federation.”
The three FBI agents are conducting a three-day training dubbed Active Shooter and Intelligence Gathering Analysis for supervisors in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department. The course is in line with previous trainings conducted locally by the U.S. agency. In 2012, agents facilitated a basic homicide investigation course.
Commissioner Walwyn explained that the relationship between local law enforcement and agencies such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) remains very strong.
“We were the first agency in the Eastern Caribbean to have a Firearms Investigative Unit,” Walwyn said referring to assistance received from the ATF. He added that because of this close collaboration, four active investigations were started concerning persons shipping guns to St. Kitts and Nevis. “With the FBI, as you can see they are here and they are doing this training for free so that just shows the extent of the cooperation that we have between the two agencies.”
The commissioner also highlighted the training and equipment donations received from the DEA in the past and stated “… there’s nothing that we have to worry about. Our partnerships are strong,” he stressed revealing that the interpersonal relationships fostered resulted in several retired agents vacationing in St. Kitts and Nevis.