BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – COMMISSIONER of Police (COP) Austin Williams said that the challenges faced by the law enforcement body over the years have remained constant, and despite the force’s best efforts there are still some of them with which the administration is confronted.
Williams said, “Some of these challenges are: an increase in antisocial behaviour and violent crimes among youth; expanding communities, which increase the residential areas for police coverage; increased number of social and community activities, especially festivals which place more demands on the police; increased number of international events – sporting events and conferences. These events draw heavily on our resources and adversely impact on our regular policing programmes.”
He added that the increase in tourism development, which has seen more cruise passengers, scenic tours and other ecotourism activities; the Federation’s porous borders; an increase in the vehicle population; and the forensic capability and technology challenges are also among the force’s challenges.
The COP made these remarks, among others, at a joint Law Enforcement Press Conference held today (June 10) at the Lecture Hall of the Police Training School in Basseterre.
He however emphasised that the law enforcement body’s major challenge is the increase in murders and gun-related crimes associated with the gang culture.
Despite the numerous challenges, Williams said the High Command is confident in its present approach of community policing and high visibility policing. “As Commissioner of Police, I firmly believe that these two approaches, combined with our proactive and intensified planned and spontaneous stop and search operations, will yield much result in the upcoming months.”
He said that the force is committed to its Strategic Action Plan on crime reduction and detection strategies which was launched in August 2009. The plan, he noted, has realised an increase in bicycle and foot patrols throughout various communities.
Commissioner Williams said too that the force would continue its proactive approach with strategies geared at crime control and reduction, and he highlighted some of the significant achievements to date, despite the challenges.
“These successes include the seizure of 26 illegal firearms and over 835 rounds of ammunition in the first half of 2010, compared to 33 firearms in all of 2009; destroying over 63 000 marijuana plants throughout the Federation, ranging in height from seedlings to 10 feet, compared to 64 694 plants for the same period in 2009; the issuance of 603 tickets for traffic violations for the first half of 2010; the conduct of 40 planned operations along with daily ongoing stop and search operations. These operations have yielded critical evidence, which have led to successful prosecutions in drugs and firearm cases, as well as valuable intelligence,” he said.
Among the new initiatives implemented by the force are: close circuit TV monitoring in Basseterre an Charlestown; the use of marked police vehicles in all communities aimed at improving police visibility; partnering with corporate sponsors in reaching out to sports clubs and teams; and liaising with schools, especially through the Parent/Teacher Associations.
The COP indicated that he wanted to reassure the public that the police are collaborating closely with the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) and the Customs Department in the ongoing fight against crime.
“We are working together and I believe that this press conference is a further indication of that established trust and networking. In this age of globalisation, we cannot afford to work as separate entities, but rather seek to achieve our common objectives through the sharing of information and intelligence and the conduct of operations.”
He was also in high praise of the public, noting their current success in the prevention and detection of crime is largely due to the existing cooperation from the general public and the people’s willingness to share vital information with the law enforcement agencies.
Questioned by the media on the long overdue 2009 Crime Statistics, Commissioner Williams said it would be released to the press through the Force’s Press and Public Relations Officer (PRO) by this weekend.
Among those present at the conference were: Commander of the SKNDF, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Wallace; Deputy Commissioner of Police Stafford Liburd; Comptroller of Customs Rodney Harris; Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Crime, Joseph Liburd; Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Operations, Joseph Richardson; and Police PRO Inspector Vaughan Henderson, who chaired the morning’s proceedings.
