VIPD Honors Officers of the Month

Mary Gleason, Hotel and Tourism Chairperson Marc Langervin, St. John Deputy Chief Darren Foy, Officer Richard Dominquez and his K-9 partner Ares, and Lt. Lorraine Evans.

The V.I. Police Department hosted an Officer of the Month ceremony Wednesday, July 28, on St. Thomas.

Six St. Thomas and St. John officers were selected for the months of March, April and May for their achievements in the particular months. Also, one officer was selected for the month of June.

Supervisors heaped praises on the selected officers, who were voted the best in the monthly selections. The officers received certificates, weekend hotel stays and other giveaways from the Hotel and Tourism Association and the VIPD.
St. John Officers Honored

Officer Richard Dominguez was chosen as one of the officers of the month for March. He is the only K-9 officer who lives on St. John and is assigned to St. John. He and his partner Ares, a German Sheppard, recently conducted a CanineTraining session for St. John officers. The training familiarized the officers on the ways canines can be utilized to retrieve and locate persons or other items.

In March Officer Dominquez made three arrests. Two were felony cases and one was a misdemeanor. Through his diligence, more than $4,500 in jewelry and other personal items previously stolen were recovered. Officer Dominguez is dedicated to police work. He often helps his fellow officers and is engaging and approachable to the St. John community.

Officer Dahlia Richardson was chosen as one of the officers of the month for April. She is assigned to the Patrol Division of the Leander Jurgen Command. An extrovert by nature, the community regularly sees her patrolling the Coral Bay on a regular basis, communicating and interacting with St. John residents.

Officer Richardson’s methods of community policing benefits the VIPD as it helps to build community partnerships and relationships. Her transition from a former Police Auxiliary officer into a full time officer exemplifies her dedication and commitment in a law enforcement career.

Officer Sharon Bachan was honored as one of the officers of the month for May. She is stationed at Leander Jurgen Command. As a former Police Auxiliary Officer she has shown a readiness to accept the challenges of a law enforcement career.

In May Officer Bachan handled seven arrests, including four misdemeanors, one incident and two domestic violence cases. Additionally she assisted with traffic enforcement initiatives which resulted in 31 traffic citations.