Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 04, 2016 (SKNIS): An “all hands on deck” approach to address the recent upsurge of antisocial activity in St. Kitts and Nevis has brought a renewed sense of commitment from members of the joint security forces.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) responsible for crime, Ian Queeley, made the statement while appearing on this week’s edition of “Working for You.” He was joined on the programme by other members of the High Command of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, including Acting Commissioner, Stafford Liburd, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Osmond Petty.
Queeley said joint operations between members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department are taking place. He said the geographical location of the islands and limited resources result in a challenge to adequately secure the borders. However, efforts are focused on preventing contraband from entering the twin-island federation.
“We have seen the reintroduction to service of the Coast Guard cutter ‘Stalwart” which has given us some more coverage by sea,” he said. “We‘ve also seen that the Customs and Excise Department has stepped up their vigilance in terms of surveillance and so all of those are some of the initiatives that have been ongoing …”
Stop and search operations have also increased over the past days.
“In many instances your normal routine of life, traveling about, may be interrupted by constant searching and vehicular checkpoints and that is because we are intending to seek out those criminal elements from wherever they are hiding,” Mr. Queeley said.
In order to secure adequate manpower to execute the necessary operations, all personnel have been recalled from vacation leave and rest days have been restricted. The police also submitted documents to the Government outlining legislative changes to curb crime. The assistant commissioner of police used the possession of an illegal firearm as an example.
“In Barbados, if you are caught with a gun, prison is automatic,” he said, noting that it sends a strong message to persons with malintentions.
Queeley added that discussions have been held with international law enforcement agencies including the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Regional Security System (RSS) about ways they can assist local efforts. The High Command has held meetings with various ranks within the RSCNPF, from gazetted officers to constables, to encourage feedback and maintain good morale. Town hall meetings will be held to allow members of the community to interact with the police leadership.
“We are trying to approach this very wholesomely, from all angles and we are looking forward and we are saying with confidence that we can and we will make certain that this, our beloved country, returns to a state of normalcy,” ACP Queeley stated.
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