NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) must disrupt gang activities throughout the nation to prevent retaliations and turf wars from getting “out of hand”.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Fernander said the organization will implement strategies that will see police officers go after gangs “with the full arm of the law”.
“We have to disrupt those gangs,” he said.
“There is going to be a big focus on that.
“We are strategizing. We have already identified a number of areas that we know continue to build with the young people out there.
“It appears as though it is a tit for tat with the gangs and those retaliations and drug turf.
“We know that if [we] don’t pay attention to them, it could get out of hand.
“We will not stand by and see that happen.
“So, we are going at them with the full arm of the law.
“We are going to disrupt them and, where possible, charge and put them before the [courts] — swift justice across the board, and I believe that the system will work with police to deal with that.”
With the vast majority of murders in The Bahamas occurring with the use of firearms, Fernander said there are too many illegal weapons in the country.
There are too many firearms out there and…I’m pushing to see if we could identify a court just to deal with gun matters.
– Deputy Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander
He said he believes a dedicated court to deal with firearms and related matters could impact gun traffickers and ultimately the number of weapons in the hands of criminals.
“As I always indicated, especially the use of firearms — there are too many firearms out there, and I will say again, I’m pushing to see if we could identify a court just to deal with gun matters,” the deputy commissioner said.
“…I see no reasons, as I always say, why [if someone] is caught with a gun today, within the week that trial should go on, because all you have is police witnesses in the matter.
“If you’re lucky enough to get away on the evidence, fine, but let’s proceed.”
More than 274 firearms and 3,233 rounds of ammunition were seized in 2021.
