It is with a sense of calm, comfort and some relief that we welcome the words of Acting Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith that police have the crime situation in this country under control.
It is indeed worrying and somewhat alarming that over 20 violent incidents have been recorded for the year so far, including five murders, four shootings, with two of them being shootings at police, a kidnapping, an armed bank robbery and two schoolboys being stabbed in unrelated incidents. This has no doubt led to some growing uneasiness and concern about the level of crime and the types of crimes being committed.
While Griffith indicated that police had solved most of the murders, the reality is that all is not well and clearly some heightened attention has to be paid to crimes being committed in this country. This is especially necessary at this time when Barbados can ill afford to be seen as a destination that is crime-ridden as it continues to welcome thousands of visitors each week – a much needed prop for the economy at this time.
It is therefore heartening that our top cop has sought to ease the minds of people who may feel not only unsafe in their homes, but also in their country. We all need to feel secure and confident that no effort is being spared to keep us all safe. As such, law enforcement officers need to remain vigilant and connected to communities and residents.
It is for this reason that we also commend the recent move to ensure that police vehicles can no longer be driven with air conditioners on and windows up. The directive from the high command of the force is to reinforce discipline and allow the public greater access to officers.
In these times, we can ill afford a disconnect between the police and the people and in fact more emphasis has to be placed on community policing.
Some officers have already voiced their displeasure at this new rule, complaining that the days were too hot and with up to five huddled in a vehicle, AC was necessary.
The reality is that officers cannot effectively carry out their duties if they create distance between themselves and the people they vowed to serve when they entered the force.
It is important that people feel they have access to police officers, especially when they feel threatened or believe they are in harm’s way, or even when they want to assist by offering valuable information that can lead to solving crimes. Police cannot only seem to want to connect with people when they are asking for information that can help them achieve a breakthrough.
Instead, they need to continue to look at fostering relationships with those they serve, across all Barbados, in the heights and terraces as well as in depressed areas.
The move to instil more discipline in police officers is timely and necessary. The job of the police is to serve and protect and this must never be forgotten.