Territory-wide integration initiative will strengthen real-time crime response as Administration also announces higher starting salaries for police officers and cadets
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. on Monday signed Executive Order 549-2026 establishing a Territory-wide Government Surveillance-Camera Integration Program to give the Virgin Islands Police Department secure, real-time access to exterior-facing government security cameras during criminal investigations and public-safety incidents.
The Governor also announced an agreement with the Police Benevolent Association increasing the starting salary for Virgin Islands police officers to $50,000 and police cadets to $45,000.
Governor Bryan made both announcements during the Government House Weekly Press Briefing alongside Police Commissioner Mario Brooks.
“When it comes to fighting crime, we have to use every tool available to us,” Governor Bryan said. “That means good police work. It means good intelligence. And increasingly, it means using technology in a smarter and more coordinated way.”
Government agencies throughout the Territory already operate security cameras at public facilities, housing communities, transportation facilities, parking areas, roadways and other locations. Many of those systems, however, operate independently.
Executive Order 549-2026 directs Executive Branch agencies to inventory their exterior-facing cameras and work with VIPD and the Bureau of Information Technology to securely connect qualifying systems.
“If a government-owned camera can help Commissioner Brooks and his officers identify a suspect, locate a vehicle, preserve evidence or respond more safely, then we should not be wasting valuable time trying to figure out who owns that camera or how to get access to it,” Governor Bryan said. “We are taking technology that taxpayers have already paid for and making it work better for public safety.”
The initiative builds on technology already in use by VIPD, including ShotSpotter, existing surveillance cameras and the Department’s Real-Time Intelligence Centers. Those tools have assisted officers and investigators in identifying people and vehicles of interest, developing leads and supporting arrests.
“Technology does not replace good police work. It enhances it,” Commissioner Brooks said. “When our officers, detectives and intelligence personnel have better information available to them, they are better positioned to make informed decisions, respond more effectively and develop stronger cases.”
Governor Bryan emphasized that the order applies only to exterior-facing government cameras and limits their use to legitimate law-enforcement, public-safety, emergency-management, investigatory and evidentiary purposes. It also requires cybersecurity safeguards, access controls and auditing of system use.
“This is not about unlimited surveillance,” Governor Bryan said. “It is about making sure the technology government already has can be used responsibly, securely and effectively when our officers need information and every minute counts.”
The Administration is also exploring ways to encourage voluntary participation by businesses and private property owners willing to provide access to exterior-facing cameras.
“Know sooner. See more. Respond faster. And give our detectives better tools to find the people responsible,” Governor Bryan said.
Investing in the Officers Who Do the Work
Under the agreement reached with the Police Benevolent Association, the starting salary for a Virgin Islands police officer will increase to $50,000, while the starting salary for a police cadet will increase to $45,000.
Commissioner Brooks said VIPD expects to announce start dates in the coming days for Class 2026-2 on St. Croix and Class 2026 in the St. Thomas-St. John District. Governor Bryan said the increased salaries are intended to strengthen recruitment and retention and make policing a more competitive career option for Virgin Islanders.
“We need good people coming into law enforcement. We need experienced officers to stay. And we need young Virgin Islanders to see policing as an opportunity to serve their community and build a stable career at the same time,” Governor Bryan said.
The Governor said the two actions reflect the same public-safety priority: giving VIPD better tools while investing in the officers who use them.
“Better technology. Better information. Stronger coordination. Better support,” Governor Bryan said. “That is how we strengthen public safety.”
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