Veteran law enforcer Mark Payne has been formally named as Montserrat’s commissioner of police after acting in the role for four months.
His selection followed a competitive recruitment process, according to a government press release on 25 September.
“I am very proud to have been selected to lead the Royal Montserrat Police Service,” the new police chief said in the release.
“I am very grateful for the warm reception from everybody I have met so far, and I look forward to working with my officers and people on the Island to keep Montserrat as safe and secure as possible.”
‘Change and churn’
Governor Sarah Tucker said the news brings stability to the Royal Montserrat Police Service “after a period of change and churn”.
It will also provide continuum of the work he has already started in reinvigorating community policing and increasing Montserrat’s safeguarding capacity, she said.
“It is a challenging world, and we all see every day in the news, the rise in organised crime across the region,” the governor continued.
“It is important that we have the expert leadership in place to develop our police, and to ensure Montserrat remains a safe and secure place to live.”
The governor said Payne brings recent expertise in these complex areas “that will be invaluable to our territory”.
“I know he and his leadership team will work together to develop our police force so that we are ready for any eventuality,” she concluded.
Distinguished officer
During his career he served as a senior officer with commands including major crime, serious and organised crime, and homicide.
He has successfully investigated more than 200 murders alongside many other serious crimes, the press release said.
Immediately before joining Montserrat’s police service, Payne was a commander of counter terrorism, working with international agencies to prevent terrorist attacks.
He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for distinguished service to policing in Queen Elizabeth II’s June 2021 honours list.
Payne is joined in Montserrat by his wife and has two adult daughters in the United Kingdom.
Police chief vacancy
Robin Hall was sworn in as police chief on 7 December, 2023, and left the island in early March to complete a training course, according to the Governor’s Office.
In Hall’s absence, Roje Williams from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service served as acting commissioner for three weeks, and Sean Troy Perera for one week.
Governor Sarah Tucker revoked Hall’s appointment in a notice in the Gazette published on 27 March, saying it would become effective on 31 March.
Over two weeks later, on 19 April, a statement from the Governor’s Office finally said Hall would not be continuing as police chief “due to circumstances beyond our control”.
Alexander Enriles from the Royal Gibraltar Police, who was due to cover for Hall for a few months, was sworn in as acting commissioner, effective on 20 April.
In a later press release, the Governor’s Office revealed that Hall was “unable to return” to Montserrat to serve as police commissioner because he had no professional indemnity insurance.
