Top Cop Urges Police to ‘Fire Back with Our Work, Not with Rounds’ at Route March

“Our duty is to fire back with our work,” declared Everton Jeffers as officers of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda took to the streets of St. John’s on Saturday for the force’s traditional Commissioner’s Route March.

Addressing officers at the ceremonial exercise, Commissioner Jeffers acknowledged that the police force has come under intense public scrutiny in recent times, but urged his ranks to respond not with force, but with professionalism and dedication.

“At this present moment, we seem to be under fire,” Jeffers told officers. “But our responsibility—our duty—is to fire back, not with rounds, but with our work. Everybody has their own opinion about the force, but I want to say this to you: I am proud of you. You are working.”

The remarks set the tone for the annual march, which carried added significance this year as it marked Commissioner Jeffers’ first official route march since his confirmation to the post.

Bright and early on Saturday morning, officers marched through the capital in a long-standing tradition that blends ceremony, discipline, and community engagement. The Commissioner’s Route March, usually held on the second Saturday of December, was rescheduled this year to December 20, but maintained its symbolic importance within the force.

Covering an estimated five kilometres, the march served multiple purposes beyond formal pageantry. It allowed the police to publicly demonstrate operational readiness while also spreading seasonal goodwill as Christmas approaches.

Importantly, while one contingent of officers participated in the route march, others remained deployed on regular patrol duties across Antigua and Barbuda, ensuring that public safety was not compromised during the event.

Residents along the route paused to watch, wave, and offer words of encouragement as officers passed by—many recognising the moment as a milestone for the force’s new leadership.

For Commissioner Jeffers, the occasion represented both honour and responsibility: a visible reminder that leadership in policing is earned not only through rank, but through service, accountability, and the daily work of officers on the ground.