At a critical juncture for its ongoing transformation and public safety outreach, The Barbados Police Service (TBPS) has unveiled a series of high-level leadership appointments set to take effect on July 3. Two veteran officers, Barry Hunte and Adrian Broomes, will step into the roles of Deputy Commissioner of Police, while Stephen Herbert, David Welch, and John Boyce have been named new Assistant Commissioners of Police, rounding out an expanded senior command team designed to advance the force’s core strategic goals.
The reshuffle comes as TBPS works to advance key operational priorities, boost public trust in its work, and expand professional growth opportunities for officers across all ranks. Each appointee brings decades of specialized experience and a track record of leadership that aligns with the force’s long-term vision for a modern, community-focused policing service.
New Deputy Commissioner Barry Hunte has built a decades-long career in senior TBPS leadership, most recently overseeing special operations and management services after serving as head of the force’s Special Branch. Hunte has earned widespread recognition for his focus on strengthening leadership standards, driving performance improvements, leading organizational change, and executing TBPS’s national policing plan effectively. He is also a graduate of the prestigious 19-week College of Policing Executive Leaders Programme based in Coventry, United Kingdom, a rigorous training initiative built to prepare senior officers for top executive leadership roles.
Fellow Deputy Commissioner Adrian Broomes brings extensive expertise in disaster response and inter-agency coordination, a critical skill set for addressing emerging public safety challenges. He has prioritized continuous executive leadership development throughout his career and is currently completing the same College of Policing Executive Leaders Programme that Hunte graduated from in Coventry.
Of the three new Assistant Commissioners, Stephen Herbert brings deep experience in human resources and administration to his new executive role. His work centers on strategic workforce development, targeted training programming, and collaboration between TBPS and other government agencies. Herbert has also led large-scale recruitment drives for the force, and currently oversees the onboarding, swearing-in, and mentorship of new police trainees.
Assistant Commissioner David Welch, a long-serving senior TBPS officer, will take charge of change management and technology services in his new post. His appointment directly supports TBPS’s ongoing push for organizational modernization, technological innovation, and improved operational effectiveness across all departments.
Rounding out the new appointments is Assistant Commissioner John Boyce, a veteran of TBPS’s senior command structure who previously oversaw the force’s crime portfolio. His decades of frontline and leadership experience will strengthen TBPS’s investigative capacity and advance its work to improve public safety outcomes for all Barbadians.
TBPS Commissioner Sonia Boyce offered warm congratulations to all five appointees in an official statement following the announcement. “I extend heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Hunte, Mr. Broomes, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Welch and Mr. Boyce on their appointments to the senior command team of The Barbados Police Service,” she said. “Each of these officers has demonstrated commitment, professionalism and dedication to duty over many years of service. Their collective experience, leadership and institutional knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to build a modern, responsive and trusted police service for the people of Barbados.”
Commissioner Boyce added that the appointments signal the organization’s full confidence in the new leadership team to steer TBPS through its next phase of growth and development. She emphasized that the expanded senior command will remain focused on upholding accountability to the public, deepening community engagement, maintaining consistent operational readiness, and delivering excellent service to all Barbadians.