BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A strong plea was made to the public yesterday (Feb. 3) by members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force’s High Command, who expressed that the Federation is facing a crisis and it could only be conquered through collaborative efforts.
Following on the heels of Acting Commissioner of Police Stafford Liburd who asked that the public joins in the fight against crime, Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for Crime Ian Queeley echoed the call, but not before painting a very real picture of the situation at hand.
He explained that according to the statistics for some major crimes, the incidences recorded in January 2016 are in some cases greater than those in the last quarter of 2015.
“I want to further conceptualise what the Commissioner started before going into the meeting of the collaborative efforts we have been attempting to get done. To put things really into context and to let the nation know how serious a crisis, I would term it, that we are facing…within the last quarter of 2015 there were a high number of shooting incidents and murders.We recorded eight attempted murders and five murders last quarter.
“In January alone, January to 31st, we recorded seven attempted murders and six murders. This is grave cause for concern and I want the community on a whole to understand that this is not the sole job of the police. And although we are mandated by law being the primary law enforcement agency to take the lead, the support of all stakeholders within the community is required and required now if we are to certainly take back the streets.”
ACP Queeley said part of the Police Force’s strategy is maximising on resources which has led to increased collaboration with the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department and a decision taken by the High Command to restrict officers’ rest-day leave.
He asked for the support of members of the public whose daily routines, in some instances, would be impacted by the increased stop and search and other operations which are taking place. These, he expressed, are intended to “seek out those criminal elements from wherever they are hiding”.
The ACP said the High Command has recently employed several other strategies to combat crime, including writing to the Government to recommend legislative changes to provide for stiffer penalties, the reintroduction of town hall meetings, seeking support from the FBI and RSS and strategic meetings with members of the Police Force.
Queeley promised that they could and would have the country return to a state of normalcy where investor confidence is increased.
In making an appeal to the public to lend assistance to the crime fight, the ACP asked that if people see something they should say something, not necessarily to the police but to engage other trustworthy members of the community through whom the information could be passed.
