BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH the homicide rate being at the staggering number of 15 at this time of the year and the reports of numerous gun-related incidents and break-ins, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force has implemented a short term strategy to combat these crimes.
Addressing the crime issue during the Prime Minister’s last Press Conference, Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Operations, Vaughan Henderson informed that the High Command had implemented a number of short term programmes and more would soon be followed.
The ACP stated that among the short term initiatives already implemented are that police visibility has increased in all communities and that the Force has stepped up in its operations at vehicular checkpoints established at major cross sections in the search for illicit arms and ammunition.
“We believe that police’s visibility is essential in fighting crime. The public is to be reassured that the police are there to assist them,” Henderson said.
Henderson indicated that officers are regularly out on the streets conducting patrols and search operation using the Force’s major resources, such as the recently acquired Mobile Command Unit. He also informed that the operations include members of the Drug Unit, the Special Services Unit and the Delta Squad.
“I am happy to report that with these short term initiatives in place, we have beefed up what we have been doing in a more aggressive effort to confront the criminal activities out there,” he said.
The ACP stated that although these short term initiatives were implemented, the High Command has however not overlooked its approach to Community Policing.
“We believe that Community Policing is not soft policing. It is engaging the general public in a systematic way, giving them ownership of the crime problem as well. We are cognisant that the crime situation in the Federation is not the responsibility of the police alone. It involves all stakeholders…the schools, the churches,” Henderson explained.
In an effort to emphasise the importance of Community Policing, Henderson made reference to the recently concluded Conference of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police.
“Coming out of the ACCP Conference, we have heard the advice of Dr. Lee Browne, who is father of Community Policing, that it is essential that we engage the general public in our fight against crime. And so this afternoon I am happy to appeal to the general public, once more, that we are going to engage them in town hall meetings…”
ACP Henderson also said that they would be paying regular visits to schools; engage in community walks-through, which he noted have been already taking place in Division ‘B’; inviting members of the public to their church parades; and going out and engaging the general public in a systematic way.
“We believe that in going forward, the general public will be more assured and reassured that the police are not here only to enforce the law and to arrest the young people of our nation, but also to be involved in rehabilitative measures so that we have a more productive society,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris disclosed that an additional crime fighting initiative was introduced in Nevis.
He said that a contingent from the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force was deployed to the sister isle to assist the police in their crime fighting efforts.
Dr. Harris commended Commissioner (Ag) Stafford Liburd, officers of the High Command and all other members of the Police Force for the new initiatives implemented in their crime fighting stratefy.
“So there have been some important first step actions to arrest and reduce the incidents of criminal activity in the Federation. And I want to applaud the Commissioner (Acting), those of the High Command and of course all in the line of duty, because without the vigilance, support and response of all officers from the Constable up to the Commissioner, we would not have achieved the results so desired and deserved.”
