Randy Connaught appointed Acting Commissioner of Police

by Linda Straker

• Randy Connaught appointed Acting Commissioner of Police until Commissioner MacKenzie’s leave concludes
• Commissioner Don MacKenzie’s leave will conclude on 6 January 2025
• Deputy Commissioner Jessmon Prince will continue in his position until mid-2025

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, who also holds the title of National Security Minister, announced during the 18 December 2024 sitting of the Lower House or the House of Representatives, that Officer Randy Connaught — who previously held the position of Assistant Commissioner of Police — has been appointed to serve as Acting Commissioner of Police. “I wish to inform the nation that Commissioner of Police Don MacKenzie has proceeded on leave, much deserved and delayed leave. The nation will recall that I had asked MacKenzie to stay on past his retirement age in January of this year and that was extended to December of this year.”

Several high-ranking officers of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) were in the gallery of the Parliament when the Prime Minister made the announcement. “By way of information I wish to advise that Acting Commissioner of Police Randy Connaught will continue to act until the leave entitlement of Commissioner Don MacKenzie expires,” he said. The National Security Minister did not say whether Connaught would eventually be appointed as Commissioner at the end of MacKenzie’s leave, which took effect on 16 December and will conclude on 6 January 2025.

In paying tribute to Mackenzie, the Prime Minister said that during the last year of his service to the RGPF, MacKenzie had the challenge of dealing with high-risk matters such as the passage of Hurricane Beryl and the spate of gun-related violence crimes which resulted in homicides. The gun-related violence crimes caused several amendments to the Firearms Act.

“I want to put on record my profound appreciation for the decades of service provided to this nation by Commissioner Don MacKenzie,” said the Prime Minister, who disclosed that his government removed the adjunct title from MacKenzie and made him a Deputy Commissioner.

The Prime Minister further said that Deputy Commissioner Jessmon Prince who was scheduled to also go on leave will continue in his position until the middle of 2025.