There will be heightened police activity in the Pine, St. Michael, following a series of shooting incidents in the community.
Attorney General, Dale Marshall, in a statement issued today, said while no lives were lost, the peace and safety of residents were severely disrupted.
“The new year has begun with gunmen wreaking havoc in the densely populated community of The Pine. Fortunately, the injuries sustained have not been life-threatening. However, what has obviously been threatened is the ability of the residents to live peacefully in their homes and to be outdoors in the night, as is their right,” said Marshall.
In response to the recent activities, he stated that the Barbados Police Service would deploy “saturated policing” in the area. This strategy will include an increased police presence on the streets, both through mobile patrols and officers on foot.
“This response will certainly place increased pressure on our manpower resources, but this is a necessary step at this stage,” Marshall explained.
He also encouraged residents to cooperate with law enforcement by providing information that could aid investigations.
“I have to ask the residents of the town to match the police efforts at making them safe by coming forward with whatever information you may have, no matter how insignificant you may feel it to be,” Marshall said.
The Attorney General noted that the government was also working to strengthen law enforcement by providing technical, financial, and legislative support. Collaboration with CARICOM governments to address rising crime across the region remains a priority.
Praising the efforts of the police force, Marshall said, “I can never speak about the crime situation without praising the men and women of the police service who put their lives and love being at risk constantly to keep us all safe.”
The announcement follows reports of more shooting incidents overnight in The Pine.
