Deputy COP sides with PM on ‘fear of crime down’ comments

Deputy COP sides with PM on ‘fear of crime down’ comments
(FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On the heels of Prime Minister Hubert Minnis expressing that the fear of crime was down, Deputy Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour on Tuesday touted similar views, stating that the Royal Bahamas Police Force was pleased with the lowered crime stats.

“You heard the most honorable prime minister say it, and you’ve seen it. We feel it from members of the public every day.

“As crime stats go down, the general public can go about their business as usual.

“We are pretty sure that the fear of crime is decreasing around The Bahamas,” said Seymour, who spoke to the media at a three-day Interpol Counter Nuclear Smuggling Workshop at the Melia Resort.

The nation’s murder count presently stands at 84.

The last time the country recorded fewer than 100 murders was in 2010 with 94 murders.

Stating that he does not want to preempt the commissioner’s statements on the country’s crime statistics, which will be issued before the new year, Seymour only expressed that he is “pleased” with the numbers thus far.

“At the beginning of the year the commissioner will definitely release the stats, and the members of the public will be able to see how well we did,” he said.

Seymour attributed the decline in the murder count to the commissioner’s policing plan which was instituted at the beginning of the year.

“At the beginning of the year the commissioner of the police is mandated to put in place a mechanism known as the commissioner of policing plan,” Seymour explained.

“For the most part the mechanism that we have employed has been put in place, and the fact that we have seen a reduction in not only murders but crime stats is an indication that what we have put in place is working. We are encouraged by the signs.

“One of the things you hear us say from time-to-time is the amount of crime that’s happening is caused by a small percentage of our population. All of the programs that we have put in place in partnership with members of the public we will continue to use.”

Meanwhile, Seymour said the police cannot allow a small number of persons to wreak havoc on the general public.