Police braced for crime hike as restrictions ease

Police braced for crime hike as restrictions ease
(FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Acknowledging the spate of recent killings as the country eases restrictions, Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle said yesterday the police force stands prepared to respond to “any eventualities”.

“The reality is that the COVID; much of the lockdown is over and people are interacting, and I would wish to encourage members of the public to behave themselves” Rolle told the media at Police headquarters.

“Whether there is an uptick or not, we are going to be here to do, and to make sure that the community is safe.”

Asked about the impact of the curfew and lockdowns on crime, Rolle underscored his office was not responsible for the signing or issuance of the emergency orders.

He said the existing curfew is a response to the pandemic, intended to keep Bahamians safe.

Rolle pointed to his policing plan, which he expects will assist in keeping Bahamians safe.

However, Rolle said if a “sidebar of that is to help [reduce] crime, sure, but I don’t know that is the purpose of it”.

A man was murdered on Scott Street in Bain Town early yesterday morning.

It was the fourth killing in in a week, after a lull of violent crimes in April and May.

Last Sunday, a man standing on his porch of his Jackson Street, Nassau Village home, got into an argument with two men, one of whom produce a gun and shot him.

The two suspects were arrested that night in a bus matching the description from the crime scene.

A week ago, the body of a man was found in St Joseph cemetery with a severe wound to his head around 6am.

Around 1pm that day, a gunman shot a man as he repaired a vehicle in front of his residence in Pink Meadows Avenue, off Bellot Road.

On June 20, the body of a Haitian woman was found in the Pinedale community in Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama.

Crossfire

Rolle said it was deeply saddening that young people have been caught in the crossfire of criminal activity.

He said there were still too many illegal weapons in the country, a problem the police force will continue to tackle with its resources.

Last Saturday, a two-year-old girl, who was sitting in the lap of her grandmother on the porch of their Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, residence, was shot in the abdomen.

According to reports, three men exited a vehicle. One of them made a comment to the woman, before he opened fire. She was in critical condition in hospital.

The woman had been reported missing a day before her body was found.

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.