Tackling: Govt. exploring lower-level roles for “Tourist Police” construct to free up frontline officers

GREAT BAY--St. Maarten, Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling says Government is looking at options to strengthen visible policing support and traffic enforcement through lower-level roles, specialized functions, including a form of tourist-oriented policing, with the aim of improving day-to-day presence while easing pressure on frontline police officers.

Responding to a question in the Council of Minister Press Birefing about why St. Maarten does not have a sort of "tourist police" unit, the Minister said the idea is one Government sees as important and is actively working on as part of its goals for 2026 and practical ways to increase presence across the island’s high-traffic areas.

She said the work will be done in consultation with the Ministry of TEATT and in connection with tourism-sector governance discussions, including any tourism authority framework being developed by her colleague, Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten.

The Minister acknowledged that the police force remains short-handed, referencing remarks by Police Chief Carl John who indicated recently the force has about 138 officers and needs more.

The concept discussed includes using lower-level personnel for functions that can be handled without a firearm and without full police training, such as administrative duties and other support roles, to free up sworn officers for core policing tasks.

As the discussion continued, the question was clarified to focus less on a dedicated "tourist police" force and more on practical, island-wide traffic presence, such as:

• guiding traffic,
• responding to accidents,
• handling compliance checks,
• supporting enforcement in high-traffic zones.

The Minister said Government is examining these needs in “different layers,” including how existing enforcement roles might be expanded. The Minister said one of the main challenges is funding, specifically how to pay for a tourist-oriented policing model or lower-level deployment.

She pointed to examples elsewhere, noting that:

• in Aruba, similar structures exist in hotel areas and are funded through hotels, and
• in the Dominican Republic, comparable forms also exist.

For St. Maarten, she said the key issue to resolve is where the money would come from, including whether a new mechanism is needed such as a tax, fee, or security fee. The Minister said Government aims to work out the concept within this year, then move toward implementation.

The Minister also highlighted a parallel track under discussion: using TEATT controllers, who already perform controls in the public transportation sector, to support parts of traffic enforcement.

She noted that TEATT controllers who regulate buses and taxis could potentially enforce portions of the road and traffic ordinance, once properly authorized and trained. She said the group is currently small, and additional certification is required for that expanded role. The Minister added that she recently swore in TEATT controllers and indicated that training for the additional certification is taking place.

While she described these steps as “drops in the bucket,” she emphasized that incremental measures can add up to real efficiency gains over time. The Minister said any lower-level role deployment, whether tourist-oriented support or expanded enforcement assistance, would be intended for use across the island rather than a single concentrated zone, naming areas such as:

• Maho,
• Simpson Bay,
• Philipsburg.

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