PARAMARIBO – Carl John, Commissioner of Police of St. Maarten, has been elected as the new chairman of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police, the organization that unites police commissioners from more than twenty Caribbean countries and territories. The election took place during the 40th Annual General Meeting and Conference, held from 11 to 15 May 2026 at the Royal Torarica Hotel in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The election strengthens the position of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands within the regional police structure. John, who had served as first vice-chairman since 2025, succeeds the outgoing chairman. He describes the outcome as "completely unexpected": within the organization, candidates cannot put themselves forward but are nominated by the group. The organization has existed since 1987. The theme of this year’s conference was: ‘Organized Crime: Implications for Regional Development’.
The conference focused on the impact of organized crime on security, economy, and social development in the region. Topics discussed included gun violence, drug trafficking, smuggling, and cybercrime, as well as the growing interconnectedness of criminal networks. All four police chiefs from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom were present — underscoring the importance the Kingdom places on regional cooperation. The Police College delivered several presentations.
One of the presentations addressed the growing role of crime analysts in mapping criminal networks, arms routes, and cross-border connections. In addition, the project ‘Strengthening the resilience of police forces in the Caribbean region’ was presented, developed in collaboration with the EU programme EL PAcCTO 2.0.
