The Royal Anguilla Police Force has been strengthened by the appointment of a United Kingdom Police Officer. He is retired Detective Chief Inspector Bernard Watson, who is on a two-year secondment. The cost of his service is being shared between the British Government and the Government of Anguilla.

Mr. Bernard Watson

A release from the Governor’s Office states that Mr. Watson’s secondment is to help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Force. This assistance will in particular relate to investigating major crime and developing a financial crime capability in the Force to deter money laundering and other financial crime. He will assist in pursuing suspicious transaction reports and due diligence enquires.

He will also help to continue the investigation of the two unsolved murders of Roger Clarke and Courtney Hodge, as well as assist with the preparations for the prosecution case in the trial of Steve Bryan for the murder of Jamida Webster.

As a serving officer of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, Mr. Watson will report to the Superintendent (Operations), Rudolph Proctor and will be under the command and control of Commissioner of Police, Keithly Benjamin.
In welcoming Mr. Watson’s appointment, Governor Alan Huckle said: “As Anguilla develops economically, so will the complexity and sophistication of criminal activity increase. The Royal Anguilla Police Force is adapting its skills and training to meet these new challenges. The appointment of Detective Chief Inspector Bernard Watson should help in this effort.”

Mr. Watson, who is accompanied by his wife, Jackie, retired from the Surrey Police in June 2003, having served for 30 years in the police service.

He is a Barrister-at-Law, having been called to the Bar in 1997. He has extensive experience as a senior officer in the investigation of serious crime including murder. He was head of the Fraud Squad and Financial Investigation for the Surrey Police during the years 1998-2000; and was seconded to the Serious Fraud Office as an investigative barrister. He also served as force head of intelligence in the Surrey Police.

Immediately before coming to Anguilla, Mr. Watson was a special investigator for a FTSE, a top 100 company investigating commercial insurance fraud.

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