Commissioner of Police CG Walwyn appears confident that there has indeed been a significant difference in the level of crime, particularly homicides. Walwyn is however cognizant that the any success that he and his officers may have registered has come partly due to a more supportive community as well as the tangible subsidies that have come from many corporate benefactors.
At a recent meeting with a group of corporate backers in Basseterre, the Commissioner highlighted their continued support and assistance in the acquisition of a Crime Scene Vehicle that was needed to properly process areas where crimes have occurred.
A government release on Monday quoted Walwyn as saying, “But going beyond that, the Coalition again absorbed the cost of hosting instructors from the United States who trained over 60 local police officers in the course of gunshot residue testing. As a result of the progressiveness of the police force, the RSS is going to conduct crime scene processing courses across the Caribbean, using our local police as the example.”
He said since the inception of the partnership with the coalition and the local police, there has been a constant decrease in crime in the Federation.
The police chief indicated that a special group of police officers and soldiers was put together under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister’s Anti-Crime Unit. The group was called the Delta Squad and its primary purpose was to patrol the high crime areas of the island with a zero tolerance initiative.
The squad was trained by the military and was initially outfitted with mobilization equipment by the coalition. Transportation to move the squad from village to village was provided by the coalition, revealed Walwyn.
“This was the beginning of the assistance provided by the coalition. This was the first step to providing some sort of tangible relief to the Delta Squad to help reduce crime in the Federation. As time went by it was realized that the Delta Squad can suppress crime but the emphasis should also be on crime prevention. The Office of the Prime Minister’s Anti-Crime Unit was responsive to a suggestion to approach the issue of crime prevention through reaching at-risk children. Through an MOU signed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida and the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, the MAGIC program was introduced into the Federation,” said Commissioner Walwyn.
He said that the Coalition stepped up to the plate and provided airfare and hotel accommodations for an Orange County Sheriff Sergeant to come to the Federation and train 10 officers to teach the MAGIC programme through the Federation’s Department of Education.
“The Office of the Prime Minister Anti-Crime Unit paid the cost for locally publishing the classroom material and the classes began on October 1, 2012,” Mr. Walwyn reported.
Assistance was also given towards the purchasing of firearms.
“Because of the Coalition’s lead two other businesses have stepped up to the plate and donated two more vehicles for the Delta Squad, stated Walwyn. “In the year that the Delta Squad was issued the equipment, crime has consistently been reduced in the Federation,” said the Commissioner.