Tisha Ricketts
Inspector Rebekah Jones of the Royal Grenada Police Force has been at the forefront in the fight against domestic violence in Grenada.
Her story represents the positive role models that women like her have created throughout the Caribbean. I share her story because I think too often we forget about the women in these roles across the Caribbean that put their life on the line each day.
For the most part they operate behind the scenes alongside their male counterparts. Sometimes their stories make the headlines and for a brief moment they are recognized and their achievements celebrated. But most times, after the stories have been written, shared on social media, or interview granted, that light that briefly shine on them, goes dim.
I want to bring to your attention Inspector Jones of the Royal Grenadian Police Force, whose was the recipient of the 2014 The International Association of Women Police (IAWP) International Scholarship.
In an interview in October 2014, here is what she had to say
Here is an extract from a story written by IAWP
Inspector Jones has many notable achievements including assignments as Commander of a Satellite Station and Assistant Staff Officer, Regional Security Systems (RSS) in Barbados. When working for the Intelligence Unit, she was commended for leading an investigation resulting in the collapse of an offshore bank and which led to a drug and money laundering ring in Antigua that extended into France.
These and other accomplishments exemplify her dedication to policing and her determination to protect those who cannot protect themselves. For example, in the absence of a departmental policy dealing with victims of sexual crime, she successfully submitted a recommendation to influence such a policy. As Head of the Community Relations Department, she said
“I am drawn to the challenges faced by women, children, girls and the wider Grenadian public. This has deepened my human rights cause and resulted in me dedicating a substantial amount of time working closely with afflicted families, victims of domestic violence and sexual offenses particularly against children.”
As a result of her efforts, Inspector Jones was awarded the most outstanding Community Policing Initiative.
Educated at the Anglican High School in Grenada, Inspector Jones is a graduate of the Institution of Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth, England, with a BSC in Policing and Police Studies. She has the distinction of being the first officer in the history of the RGPF to have obtained such a degree. She is married and the mother of a ten-year old daughter named Bellaris. She was born in St. George, Grenada, West Indies and is the youngest of seven siblings.
To read more from the IAWP please click here
