PARAMARIBO, Suriname–Chief of Police Carl John of St. Maarten has been elected Chairman of the ACCP. The election took place during the 40th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP), held from 11 to 15 May 2026 at the Royal Torarica Hotel in Paramaribo, Suriname. Chief of Police John had served as First Vice Chairman since 2025 and now succeeds the outgoing chairman.
The election of Chief of Police John as Chairman of the ACCP further strengthens the position of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands within the regional police and security structure. As chairman, he will play an important role over the coming year in regional police cooperation and the further development of joint security initiatives.
For Commissioner John, the election came as a complete surprise. Within the ACCP, candidates cannot nominate themselves. Candidates are nominated from within the group. The election reflects the confidence and trust he enjoys within the region. Founded in 1987, the ACCP is the regional organization of police commissioners from across the Caribbean and brings together more than twenty countries and territories. The theme of this year’s conference was: “Organized Crime: Implications for Regional Development.”
The impact of organized crime on security, the economy and social development was central during this year’s conference. Discussions focused on the increasing interconnection between firearm violence, drug trafficking, smuggling, cybercrime and organized criminal networks in the region. Intelligence, technology and AI also featured prominently on the agenda. The meeting was attended by all four Chiefs of Police from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Several presentations were delivered on behalf of the Board of Chiefs of Police.
One of the presentations focused on “The Role of Crime Analysts in Assisting Law Enforcement in Combatting Crime in the Region.” The presentation addressed the growing role of intelligence and analysis within policing. Analysts contribute to identifying criminal networks, firearm trafficking flows and cross-border links between incidents and suspects. The presentation also explained how firearm violence, drug crime and gangs are becoming increasingly interconnected and why regional information sharing and joint analysis are essential.
Another presentation focused on the Regional Network Meeting for Analysts (RNA) and the fourth edition of this event. Over the years, the RNA has developed into a regional platform where analysts from across the Caribbean share knowledge and cooperate on regional security issues. During the presentation, it was announced that the fourth edition of the RNA is expected to take place from 24 to 26 November 2026 in Medellín, Colombia. The theme of the event will be: “Guns-Drugs-Gangs Nexus & Innovation.”
A presentation was also delivered on the project “Strengthening the Resilience of Police Officers in the Caribbean Region,” which is being further developed in cooperation with EL PAcCTO 2.0. EL PAcCTO 2.0 is a European Union cooperation and capacity-building programme with Latin America and the Caribbean aimed at strengthening justice and security institutions and combating transnational organized crime. In the coming period, a regional assessment will be conducted into existing initiatives and needs within Caribbean police organizations.
Source: The Peoples Tribune https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/st-maarten-police-chief-carl-john-elected-accp-chairman-by-peers
