According to ACP Trevor Bailey, there is a problem with murder and gun-related offences in St Vincent (SVG).
Bailey stated that, for the most part, authorities had been able to determine that the vast majority of killings were between competing organisations, with some spillovers. However, the authorities were able to determine that one or two of the murders had no clear link to either of the warring gangs.
“For example, the murder in Arnos Vale with Mr. McIntosh, you know, is concerning to us because, as investigators, we have not yet been able to determine a motive for this killing. Here was a man who was just leaving work, going to his residence, walking the public road, and actually entering his property, and he was shot and killed. So that murder is disturbing not only to us as law enforcement but to the citizens of SVG”.
Bailey stated that the police department does not want individuals to be worried and concerned that people are being shot at random.
“That is of concern to us. However, we can still walk the streets of St. Vincent and the Grenadines relatively freely and at ease. Know that your friends are the police. Every member of the RSVGPF is your friend, and we are charged with the responsibility of protecting and saving lives. And we are committed to that task”.
While the RSVGPF did not perform a survey to determine whether or not people are fearful of the crime scenario, Bailey stated that when they patrol and interact with the citizens, you get the impression and can see that they are not afraid, as some may claim.
“On a Friday night, you see what happens in the villa area: people still come out in their droves. They associate and party. If you had that sense of affair, people would be locked into their homes pretty early. By 8:00 pm, SVG would look like a ghost town, Bailey stated.
