BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS the police continue to remove guns off the streets of St. Kitts and Nevis, a member of the High Command has reported that they making strides in pinning some of those illegal firearms to crimes committed.
At a recent press conference held at the Police Training Complex, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) with Responsibility for Crime, Andre Mitchell told reporters that thus far for 2017, the police removed 37 illegal firearms off the streets and some of them were linked to crimes.
“Yes, we would have solved seven murders by way of ballistics, which is linking the exhibits at the crime scene to the commission of homicides. There were in excess of seven linked towards other crimes by way of robberies, be it attempted murders.
“But, as it relates to the homicides, there was seven.”
In recent times, the Royal St. Christophe and Nevis Police Force had come in for heavy criticisms for its inability to solve a number of crimes, including homicides that occurred in broad daylight.
However, Mitchell has reiterated the call for members of the public to report all crimes so that the police could investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
But many people are refusing to do so, especially when they are the victims. Some of them claimed that when they would have reported the commission of crimes against them and provide the names of the perpetrators or those whom they suspect, oftentimes police officers would make them (perpetrators/suspects) aware of the individuals who made the report.
However, both Mitchell and Commission of Police Ian Queeley shot down rumours that the police often inform the criminals, and instead pointed out that those suspects are often informed based on ongoing investigations and compliants made against them.
In clearing the air on that issue, ACP Mitchell said: “There are crimes that are reported and you would come and say that this person did something to me, this person beat me, this person wound me. In the process of investigation, you have to interview the person. We have to tell him about the report made to the police.
“This person came to the station and reported that you on such a date did beat me, did wound me, and at some point your name has to be called.”
Stressing it is not a case that the police is “malicious” in their intent, the ACP explained that it is in the process of the investigation and “it has to be done”.
