Voluntary corps
Today’s 10-year anniversary of the voluntary corps of St. Maarten VKS is a significant milestone for both the paramilitary organisation itself and society as a whole. In the past decade, the corps has steadily grown, both in size and importance in terms of its contribution to security and law enforcement on the island.
It took a while, but by now there is also a good working relationship with the police, with whose officers the VKS members work hand-in-hand against crime and illegal practices. By doing so, the members have also gained valuable experience in executing law enforcement tasks, to the benefit of the community.
There have been some unfortunate incidents involving VKS members over the years, the latest being an alleged case of a corps member working for a private security company. On the whole though, one would have to say that the corps has been doing a good job, and a few bad apples should not discourage those involved.
It is important to remember that VKS members are private citizens who do this work on a voluntary basis, for relatively little money. It is safe to say that without them the island would be a whole lot less safe.
But it’s not just the commanding officers and members who deserve credit. Several VKS members also have regular employers who make it possible for them to have the time-off necessary for training and working alongside the police.
We salute the men and women of VKS and hope the organisation will continue to grow in every sense. The recent establishment of the Soualiga Patrol to beef up security in town with the use of VKS members is a perfect example of this positive growth. Happy 10th anniversary.
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