Rpfab Women – By Jeressa Jeremy
Rpfab Women Move Beyond
The women of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) have announced a four-day series of events to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, centered on the theme “Building Strength Beyond the Badge.” The theme, authored by Constable Kimara Davis, was selected from several internal submissions to emphasize that female officers possess multifaceted lives and skills outside of their professional duties.
Corporal Iveen Miller, representing the Strategic Communications department, detailed the mission during an interview on Observer AM, Friday morning, noting that the initiative demonstrates that “beyond being police officers, we are females and we have other lives.”
The schedule of activities begins on Thursday, March 5th, with a Community Outreach Day. Officers will visit homes and schools in areas including Parham and Gray’s Farm. During this “soft launch,” officers will trade their traditional uniforms for pink and black attire to make their presence felt in a non-traditional way.
Corporal Miller explained the importance of reaching out to the youth, stating, “students, especially young ones, gravitate more towards females. We want to let young females know that there are ways in which you can join the police force; it’s not just for males. Females can become police officers too and females can be just as powerful as the male can be.”
On Friday, March 6th, the RPFAB will host a full-day workshop and conference at the American University of Antigua (AUA). The sessions are designed to provide professional and personal development, covering topics such as financial literacy, team-building exercises, and relationship health. The conference will also include breakout sessions on professional grooming and fashion, with speakers such as Missione Williams providing tips on “how to apply makeup subtly at work” and “what suits your body and what doesn’t.” Corporal Miller noted that these topics are essential because “policemen and women have lives outside of the force.”
The program continues on Saturday, March 7th, with a private banquet at the John E. St. Luce Finance Center. The event is intended as an internal networking opportunity for female officers to “let go, relax, and build a better connection” with one another. The four-day observance will conclude on Sunday, March 8th—the official date of International Women’s Day—with a church service, open to everyone – at the Swetes Wesleyan Holiness Church. Reverend Angelica Daniel is scheduled to deliver the sermon for the service, which Corporal Miller says serves to reinforce the belief that “everything starts with God and ends with God.”
Reflecting on the motivations behind women joining the force, Corporal Miller shared her own journey, citing her older sister as a role model and her experience with childhood bullying as a catalyst for her desire to help others.
“My urge to wanting to help persons pushed me to the edge… I can give back to the community,” she stated. Miller challenged the public perception of the profession, stating that while the uniform feels “powerful,” the women behind it are “just as tough as the men.”
She concluded with advice for aspiring officers, warning that “being a police officer is no joke” and requires a mindset open to “suggestions, ideas, and commands”. However, she noted the breadth of the field, stating that the profession is “not limited to just beating patrol” or “just investigating,” but offers avenues in forensics, the K-9 unit, human resources, and strategic communications.
