Police Presence to Intensify in St. Vincent During Holiday Season for Public Safety
As gun violence rises in St. Vincent, Commissioner of Police Enville Williams announced new crime-fighting methods on Monday.
Williams said the new initiatives address current issues and improve their effectiveness.
“These include using the cybercrime law to track criminal activities, dismantling firearm smuggling rings, implementing a new inter-agency internal security mechanism that includes cooperation with the prisons, and ensuring that no one benefits from crime.”
Williams said the RSVGPF would increase police presence in towns and businesses throughout the holidays to ensure public safety and order.
Timely intervention and resources matter.
“These resources have greatly improved our presence and performance. From March 1 to May 31, 17 unauthorized guns and 327 rounds of ammunition were surrendered. While the Firearm Act modifications have increased penalties for unlawful firearm possession and trafficking, this effort shows our proactive approach to reduce illegal firearms”.
Public engagement is key to fighting crime.
“The police are building the vital public-police relationship through targeted neighborhood walk-throughs and direct engagements. The police know that working with the community can be seen as harmful due to criminal elements, however, no criminal group will create or maintain a culture of terror in our communities. The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force is determined to dispel the idea that criminality is stronger than law-abiding individuals collaborating with law enforcement. This is shared duty. We will safeguard those who support justice and the law. Together, we can and will eliminate fear in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
By carefully interpreting the Cybercrime Act, Williams said the police may now analyze and respond to criminal gang internet communication.
“This strategy gives us a significant advantage in our ongoing operations, allowing us to act decisively in unexpected ways. The details of those actions could not be mentioned in the address, but they are part of “our broader, deliberate effort to maintain our edge in the fight against crime.” Our goal is to stay ahead of public safety threats utilizing all legal measures. The police chief said the continuous activities demonstrate the police’s commitment to public safety and law and order. While we have succeeded, we are determined to develop and refine these techniques to keep up with changing criminality”.
Williams said the police will develop a crime prevention app in the first quarter of 2025 so residents may confidentially share information with police from home or anywhere. He added the police force, customs, the Port Authority, and international partners are using research-based methods to intercept arms trafficking at the nation’s ports of entry and marine boundaries.
Williams stated we are strengthening targeted operations against drug traffickers, gun offenders, and money launderers alongside the FIU and local and regional partners.
