CRIME has escalated over the last 12 months and Commissioner of Police, Darwin Dottin, is also concerned over the growing menace of drug trafficking and abuse.At the Commissioner’s annual review and parade at Weymouth yesterday afternoon, Dottin noted that for the period ending last weekend (June 12), reported crime was up by two per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year.In a wide-ranging address, Dottin also noted the lack of manpower and having to deal with the challenges presented by communities that are economically depressed and inhabited “by young persons who seem alienated and are driven by negative values”.Dottin, the island’s top cop since 2003, pointed to increases in offences such as robbery, residential burglary, serious bodily harm, assaults and criminal damage.He said at the same time, the force had recorded decreases in aggravated burglary, commercial burglary, drug-related crimes and firearm-enabled crime.Before an audience that included Deputy Commissioner Bertie Hinds, Justice William Chandler and Registrar Marva Clarke, Dottin said the time had come for all stakeholders to come together to fight the scourge of drugs.“We readily acknowledge that in spite of our successful interdiction efforts, the trafficking and abuse of drugs remain pervasive and worrying.“The problem requires collective action across agencies, both governmental and non-governmental.”Dottin said while there was a drug reduction in drug-related offences, the force had seized more drugs this year than for the whole of this year.“By way of example, in 2009, the drug squad seized 487.81 kilogrammes of marijuana. However, for the first five months of this year, we have seized 5 683.41 kilogrammes.“Similarly, for the whole of 2009, the drug squad seized 10 167 cannabis plants. So far for the year, they have seized 8 032 of these plants. For 2010, 63.49 kilogrammes of cocaine, have been seized in comparison to 96.55 kilogrammes in 2009.”Dottin said despite the increase in overall crime, the force could be proud of its efforts, especially when juxtaposed with the general state of crime in the region.The Commissioner said the response to these challenges must not only be rooted in strict law enforcement. “I believe that now more than ever, all Barbadians must come to the stark realisation that our response must be collective and inclusive of a rich mix of state and non-state actors,” he said.
