Ronald Zwarter will hand over his duties as Deputy Chief of Police and Head of Operations of the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force KPCN to his successor on August 14, 2023. Zwarter started working with KPCN on October 1, 2019, coming from the Northern Netherlands Leadership Unit. After a period of four years working in the Canbbean Netherlands, he will return to the National Police in the Netherlands on October 1, 2023.

At the age of almost 66 and after 45 years of service with the police, he will then take his well-deserved retirement early 2024.

Together with many colleagues within KPCN, Zwarter has made the police organisation for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba stronger and more independent, partner-oriented and future-oriented.

A number of specialist teams have emerged, such as the Digital Investigation Team, the Cybercrime Team and the Financial/Economic FINEC Team. The police intelligence organisation has also become larger and more professional and is connected to INTER­POL and the Financial Criminal Investigation (FCI) network. Together with a number of colleagues from KPCN, Zwarter has also formed the basis for the creation of the Regional Information and Expertise Centre-Caribbean Netherlands (RIEC-CN), which plays an important role in the cooperation between judicial partners and the approach to subversive crime and money-laundering The enforcement of the new Road Traffic Law at the beginning of 2020 has also taken better shape.

Many local colleagues have moved on to various positions in the police force, making it more sustainable and independent. In the past four years, virtually the entire management team, including leadership positions, has been reassembled under Zwarter’s aid and supervision, leaving KPCN in good shape and ready for the future. “I often say. talent is everywhere,” said Zwarter. “Together with colleagues from the KPCN and various system partners, great prog­ress has been made, and I am glad that I contributed to this. In my opinion, the complexity of the Caribbean is often underestimated, and I will remain available in the coming years for colleagues and the various ministries to continue to contribute to developments in this region from the European Netherlands.

“It was a wonderful and instructive period for my wife and me, rea­son we will always remember with melancholy the colleagues and the islands, which are now even more enclosed in our hearts.”

The Daily Herald.