By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Tuesday 15th May 2018)-At a candle light vigil conducted at the St. Paul’s Recreational Grounds last night (Monday), police officers appeared more like plain codes cops, ditching their uniforms for the appropriate dress code in memory of slain officer Sgt. Dwight Davis remembered as “dedicated” and a “good man” among other qualities.

Relatives, friends and members of the St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force assembled in togetherness presenting tributes in songs, poems and spoken words.

His grieving mother was seated throughout the event, comforted by a young woman believed to be a family member.

The 37-year-old sergeant of the St. Paul’s community was shot dead on Thursday 3rd May in Dieppe Bay.

Chairperson of the Police Welfare Association and representative of the Sergeant Branch Board of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Sgt. Treveron Richards highlighted that his fondest memory was about Sgt. Davis- who was a father of three children- “teasing me about not having any children.”

In speaking about his professionalism, he had this to say: “Sergeant Davis was a dedicated police officer, committed to the task of crime fighting. When it came to the law and enforcing the law, he was unforgiving, unrelenting and uncompromising. He was dedicated in service not just to the police force but to his community and by extension the country large. He will be surely missed. The rank and file of the St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force have been in shock since his abrupt passing and I know we will continue to mourn him even as the investigation moves forward. We mourn yet we just like him are dedicated to bringing the perpetrators responsible for his death to justice.”

He further described Sgt. Davis as a “model police officer and his is a legacy worthy of emulation” whilst noting that “Those of us left behind to celebrate his life could only hope to live the life as a police officer of service as he would have done.”

Police Force Personnel Officer Clifford Govia said Sgt. Davis was a good man.

“It was last week we met the family and I always say you can always tell when someone is a good persons. A good person is always loved by their family and when you hear the words of his mother, you know that Dwight was well-loved and he was loved not only by his family, we know that Dwight was also loved by his community because everyone would tell you stories of the amount of things that he would have done for them. He loved to give away and there is nothing greater in this life than when you live to give and that is the type of person that we all know he was.”

“We also know he was a good person because when you hear the stories from class 29 and the rest of his colleagues,” he added.

Govia assured Sgt. Davis’ family members that the Police Force remains commitment to offer assistance including counselling.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education William Hodge recalled memories of Sgt. Davis during his school days.

“I knew Dwight when I came to the St. Paul’s Primary School in 1986. He probably was in grade 3 or 4 and after serving there for three years then going overseas for training and come back, I was posted at the Sandy Point High School and again I had Dwight Davis so I was his head teacher on two occasions.”

He added: “Like so many parents in this community, [his mom] was one of those parents who supported my work and the work of the school. In fact, it was a family that I got to know very well.”

Hodge said he saw Sgt. Davis often during this year’s sports day season and shared a joke about their interaction.

“I saw Dwight a lot during this sports season because every sports day that I went to, he was working and even if I didn’t see him, he would call out to me. A couple of times he attempted to [playfully] hit me with his cane, he said ‘Ah going give you back some a dem [lashes] you give me you nuh’.”

The former school principal expressed delight in regard to Sgt. Davis’ academic achievements.

“I am very proud to hear of his accomplishments…and for the things that people say he has achieved in terms of his likeness for his job, his dedication and commitment to his work, those are qualities of true patriot because we know that today like these, the work of the police officer is extremely difficult. Police officers put their lives on the line every day and this is something that we as Kittitians could no longer take for granted. We have to show appreciation to the work that our police officers do to protect and serve.”

Hodge added: “So when I hear of the good reports that Dwight has achieved that makes me feel happy and it should be a source of comfort for his mom. To come up to the ranks of sergeant…you have to take various examinations and pass and so that tells me that Dwight was dedicated to learning; to advance himself academically so when they pin those stripes non him nobody could say they give him the stripes because of favouritism but because of his dedication and his excellence in education and so I feel very distraught over his passing.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police responsible for Operations Terrance James.
He informed that he works Division B which is the rural area which includes St. Paul’s and that he was the Divisional Commander from 2013 to just about the latter half of 2014.
James said an officer of the year award was started in that division and in 2013 Sgt. Davis won. He said further that Sgt. Davis was working at Tabernacle Police Station at the time and when he won “there was no competition.”

He said he came out on top in the Tabernacle District without anybody competing against him which shows that he was dedicated to his work.

Sgt. Davis’s funeral service was held yesterday afternoon (Thursday) at the St. Paul’s Recreational Grounds. He was buried at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Cemetery.