PHILIPSBURG:--- Fifteen police officers from the Class of 2015 attended their graduation ceremony on May 7, 2021. The graduation was held in front of the Police Headquarters in Philipsburg. In attendance were His Excellency, Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs, the Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson, Vice-Chair of Parliament MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten, and Chief Prosecutor Mirjam Mol amongst other government officials, department heads, family members, and friends of the graduates.
As customary, after receiving their diplomas, the Minister of Justice and the Chief of Police have the honor of pinning the officers by switching their shoulder lapels. However, during Friday’s ceremony, Chief of Police Carl John with permission from the Minister of Justice, deemed that the families of the graduates would get the honor to remove the old lapels and pin the new ones on the Police officers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this way, Chief John honored the families for the support and sacrifice they also put in during the journey of their loved ones.
Prime Minister Jacobs congratulates all the graduates on their accomplishments and wishes them well in their future journey as officers. "Thank you for taking up the mantle and serving your country. Being a civil servant in any form is honorable, but being an officer sometimes means putting your life on the line to protect your community; the people of St. Maarten are forever in your debt," concluded Prime Minister Jacobs.
