Paramaribo, Suriname – Top law enforcement leaders from across the Caribbean have gathered in the Suriname capital this week for the 40th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP), an event focused on tackling growing cross-border security challenges that threaten regional progress.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Louisa Benjamin-Quashie is representing the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda at the five-day event, which runs from May 11 to 15, 2026. This gathering marks Quashie’s first attendance at the high-profile regional conference since assuming the role of Deputy Commissioner, bringing Antigua and Barbuda’s perspective to collective security conversations.
The official opening ceremony kicked off on May 11 at Paramaribo’s Royal Torarica Resort, drawing commissioners of police, senior law enforcement command staff, national government representatives, and heads of local security agencies from across the Caribbean and Suriname. Attendees are convening to address a wide range of pressing security threats under this year’s central theme: “Organized Crime: Implications for Regional Development”.
Over the course of the conference, participants will take part in a full schedule of plenary addresses, interactive panel discussions, and closed-door strategic working sessions. Key topics on the agenda include countering transnational organized criminal networks, curbing the illicit flow of firearms across regional borders, addressing the evolving threat of cybercrime, expanding the use of intelligence-led policing frameworks, deepening cross-border security cooperation, and exploring the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into modern law enforcement operations.
For decades, the annual ACCP conference has functioned as a critical regional platform for forging stronger ties between Caribbean law enforcement bodies, aligning collaborative practices, and developing coordinated, collective strategies to counter emerging security risks that no single nation can address alone.
In line with this shared mission, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to building robust regional and international law enforcement partnerships. These partnerships, the force noted, are core to advancing public safety outcomes, boosting operational effectiveness across agencies, and upholding high professional policing standards across the entire Caribbean region.