Below follows Minister Nigel Feetham’s address at the RGP Passing Out Parade:

Good morning.

Chief Minister, Your Excellency, Commissioner, officers of the Royal Gibraltar Police, distinguished guests, family members and friends, and most importantly, our new recruits.

It is a great honour for me, as Minister for Justice, to join you today for this passing-out parade.

This is a proud moment for the recruits before us and I would like to begin by congratulating each and every one of you on achieving this important milestone.

Today marks the beginning of your service to the people of Gibraltar as members of the RGP.

The work you are about to undertake can be challenging, especially in a small place like Gibraltar, but it is also deeply important to our community.

Over the past two and a half years, your Government have significantly strengthened our Police Force and support staff with more than 60 personnel. This includes new officers across multiple intakes, appointments in command, dispatch, detention, and financial crime investigation, and specialist support such as Crown Counsel, consultants, accountants, and retired officers to bolster the Economic Crime Unit. We have also facilitated internal transfers to provide administrative support for frontline and specialist teams. Beyond personnel, we have established new facilities for the Public Protection Unit at New Harbours and secured modern offices for the Economic Crime Unit near the DPP, ensuring our teams have the space and resources to operate effectively.

We have supported, and will continue to support, our Police Force.

Of course, public trust is the foundation of effective policing. From today onwards, each of you will play a role in maintaining that trust. The uniform you now wear represents authority, but it also represents responsibility.

Your actions, both on and off duty, will reflect not only on you as individuals but on the RGP as a whole.

I would like to acknowledge the families and loved ones present today. Your support has played an important role in helping these recruits reach this point, and it will continue to be invaluable as they embark on their policing careers.

To our new officers, today you join a proud institution with a long history of service to Gibraltar.

You join colleagues who work tirelessly, often in difficult circumstances, to keep our community safe.

Wear your uniform with pride. Serve with integrity. Support one another. And never lose sight of the reason you chose this path: to serve and protect the people of Gibraltar.

Thank you.