RCIPS says it can tackle logistics of festival

| 08/02/2019 | 70 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has been working for some time in partnership with various other relevant agencies on the logistics of managing a music festival scheduled to go ahead next weekend, an RCIPS spokesperson said, but it will be a test for the police and its partners. The organisers of the KAABOO Cayman event, which starts on 14 February, say they are expecting crowds of up to 10,000 people on the main nights of the arts, comedy and music festival.

While this has not been verified, the police are preparing for such an eventuality and in addition to managing the traffic flow around the event, they will also have a large contingency of officers, on overtime, policing the event from a safety and security perspective.

The RCIPS spokesperson told CNS that the festival organisers will be contributing to those police overtime costs. Depending on what is needed, the police are expecting to be reimbursed based on the total amount of additional officers it ends up needing to deploy.

The police are also keen to reassure the public that regular policing will not be impacted by the diversion of officers and focus on this event, which they said is the biggest they have ever had to manage.

While the police will be focusing on law enforcement in general, traffic management presents a major challenge as well, as they intend to keep beach access open to ensure traffic flow. The event is set to take place on Dart property north of the Kimpton resort, and so the West Bay Road and Esterley Tibbetts Highway areas from Governor’s Square will all be impacted and where diversions and closures will be in place.

At a press briefing Thursday, Superintendent Robert Graham said the police have been managing the logistics and forming a traffic plan for several weeks and was confident that they will be able to manage the event successfully.

Officers have said that where roads are closed, they will be ensuring local access remains open at all times and that the road blocks will be managed according to what is happening at what point.

Graham said they are issuing the plans and beginning a series of public service announcements a week ahead of the event so the public knows what to expect well ahead of time, because of the restrictions that will require some drivers to go out of their way to reach their destinations.

“I think it’s important that we give plenty of warning and plenty of notice,” he said.

For more information check the RCIPS website later today for details of the traffic plan.

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Category: Local News, Police

Comments (70)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Hope I can get a shuttle from West Bay to Kaboo, parking will be a bitch!!

  2. Dontdrinkanddrive says:

    This will be a record night for DUI’S. Hope the police will be monitoring this!!!

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  3. Anonymous says:

    I think we have all seen how the police deal with traffic accidents on the road, hours of delay and traffic backed up for miles. They are likely not prepared for this event, the Cayman Islands version of Fyre Island.

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    • Anonymous says:

      All of these comments are absolutely hilarious… if you all only knew. The RCIPS is the only emergency service with some structure and some brains. Yes they aren’t the best at dealing with traffic when it comes to accidents etc. But remember this is DART you’re dealing with, he and his team are not going to let this look like a shit show. Trust me every other government entity is not ready for this event, Fire Service, EMS/Ambulane, Hazard management and definitely the hospital is not ready. Absolute embarrassment this is going to be from the government side.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Where does the priority lay? With island residents or with people at Kaaboo? If there is an emergency, at Kaaboo and another elsewhere on the island, where do emergency services go first? Didn’t I read an issue with ambulance and police problems all the time? Not enough?

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      • Anonymous says:

        Really? The airport last night was not the way to welcome visitors who found themselves standing in the wrong lines for an hour. And the crappy wristband table outside was also not indicative of the prices people are paying for the tickets.

      • Anonymous says:

        Too true

    • Anonymous says:

      Sniffer dogs will be the most useful part of the police operation of this drug fest.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Good luck getting home after work on Friday, to those of you that live in WB..
    And certainly do not expect to pop home for lunch.

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    • Everyone East of Crewe Road says:

      Boo hoo.

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    • Anonymous says:

      What about the tourist who won’t be able to exit on the West Bay Road and have to come off on Willie Farrington Drive or Batabano Road? There will be total confusion unless the authorities post the relevant signage on how to get back on the West Bay Road.

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  5. Bishop Nicholas Sykes says:

    Don’t we really have enough “festivals” already without adding yet another? How many “bread and circuses” can we accommodate? And as a community respecting our Christian values, renouncing an unscrupulous excess of “the world, the flesh and the devil”, why should we need yet more unclothed flesh that they use to advertise this thing with? Come on, Cayman, stop taking the bait!

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  6. Anonymous says:

    This is a very small event in a very small island to be attended by groups of over 50’s I don’t see any major disorder there.
    It is common practice in the UK to use police recruits at major events standing on fixed traffic points normally with an experienced constable so no problems there either.
    The major consideration should be how many para medics will be on duty for all the expected heart attacks

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Relax. I think most people by now know you aren’t just going to drive up and park within 5 mins. Almost everyone I know is taking a shuttle bus or parking a mile or more away and walk 10 to 15 mins as a group and have a laugh or two. No different than going to a football game in the US.

    If you live in West Bay and not attending, just get around the area before 430. Same on Saturday.

    People stop complaining. So something different and new is being tried in Cayman. May work, or may not. People don’t live by bread alone.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    These comments sound like the town hall meeting in the movie footloose lol

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  9. Anonymous says:

    That remains to be seen. Turning this rock into a zoo.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    If people are not allowed to park at the event, and attendees plan to be sitting in champagne-fueled Cabanas for hours, why are we expecting so many cars? What foresight for the flotilla of boaters that are planning their Rum Pointer booze up on the SMB side?

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    • Anonymous says:

      MAYBE DART SHOULD GET THERE TRAFFIC ATTENDANTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      why does government have to handle this?

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      • Anonymous says:

        How true! the RCIPS most certainly SHOULD NOT have to police this event or any event like it. This is a PRIVATE EVENT and “We The People” should NOT have to be footing the bill!

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        • Anonymous says:

          So By your logic, RCIPS should not police Batabano, Caymas, the Cayman Islands Marathon, etc. it’s cool if that’s so but be consistent.

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        • Anonymous says:

          In UK police are paid to police private events. How do we know that this is not happening here?

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        • philip says:

          Did you read this article in full?, their are many events that go on world wide that police presents are paid for by the organisers , here are a couple , if you are a yank, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade , UK, Noting Hill Parade , if your french then you are screwed with the whole Yellow vest thing .

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        • Anonymous says:

          You’re acting like 10,000 people participating an event doesn’t generate any tax revenue at all – example hotel room tax, duties from imports being consumed, etc. Not to mention the additional stimulus to the economy by creating many temporary jobs.

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          • Anonymous says:

            More jobs, for more expats, creating more jobs for more expats with the creation of more profits for more expats resulting in more of everything for more expats. Please forgive those growing numbers of Caymanians who do not give a damn about economic stimulus. Not expats fault. It took corrupt Caymanian politicians to get us in this mess.

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            • Anonymous says:

              No one is stopping you from sitting beside the road playing dominoes.

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            • Anonymous says:

              corrupt politicians assisted by a world class civil service ready to do their bidding.

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            • Anonymous says:

              And how do you think the government would aid for free schooling!for Caymanians, for over 3000 civil servants – mainly Caymanian – in a population of only 60000, for seafarers and indigent support for Caymanians, for scholarships for Caymanians….yep, the greedy expats take everything- except that they actually pay directly and indirectly for most of the governments expenditures

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              • Anonymous says:

                Many of the civil servants you speak of moved here relatively recently, as did the parents of many of the children receiving so called free education, provided by large numbers of expatriate teachers whose expatriate children attend those same schools for free and so the cycle continues.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Because the boss said they should!
        You can’t expect them to spend any of their profit on the rest of us sh*&birds do you? Maybe he can sue the Britannia owners to make them pay?

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      • Tom says:

        They are paying all police costs and overtime. Government is not paying.

      • Anonymous says:

        ‘Cuz, DART owns the CIG.

        #Duh!

    • Anonymous says:

      Many will have to navigate around the horn all juiced up late at night = recipe for nautical disaster.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    The other paper said the RCIPS would be sending their bill AFTER the festival. I find that alarming. That means they don’t know what they’ll be up against or even how many people will be at the festival.

    Also, it said that while they won’t say how many actual police offers will be involved they are using 23 police academy cadets.

    Alarming.

    I hope nothing happens in another part of the island.

    But again, it is Dart Island and it is a Dart festival so who cares what happens elsewhere on Grand Cayman.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You realize that trainees in “police academy” are not on active patrol duty and using them for an event such as this has no impact on those resources right?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Of course it also says, “The police are also keen to reassure the public that regular policing will not be impacted by the diversion of officers and focus on this event” but don’t let that get in the way of a good rant.

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    • Anonymous says:

      True! Dart controls CIG! He’s very generous.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Ready, set, bitch and complain….

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Are the organizers paying for all the police time?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Apparently, they are paying AFTER the festival is said and done…

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    • Anonymous says:

      Number of police officers is going unconfirmed in true Banana Republic fashion. They are using cadets.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I would be highly upset if anyone other than a highly trained and experienced police officer directed me where to park.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Armed unit nonetheless.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Careful throwing comments around like this, as there has been reason to shut down the NS Police Unit because of lack of funds, leaving the entire district unpatrolled and unmanned.

          Additionally, there is no parking at this event. So it doesn’t seem as though they are directing cars.

          Why use police resources when they could, and should, just hire a security firm? You know everything, take a stab.

          Further, there are a lot of jobs in Cayman that don’t need a “highly trained” Police Officer, yet there are many instances where “highly trained” police officers don’t even show up.

          Nobody shows up. Or it is hours or days later an Officer shows up.

          Crime is on the fast upswing in Cayman, in all districts, every day.

          RCIPS can put out 23 cadets to an event, that an outside company is putting on, be extension I think they should also get them out on the streets – each day, regardless of a festival, in each district.

          Have you ever seen things get out of control at a booze filled event? I have. All it takes is one.

          There is also a “highly trained” Police Officer directing traffic in George Town. The guy is a Legend!! Just saying.

          Inform yourself.

          Stay Woke.

          There is a need for respect on this island and the only way to get it is with highly trained Police Officers, or cadets in training depending on the job.

          A festival put on by richy rich, mucky mucks, is a drain of RCIPS resources and also, to my mind, puts a dangerous precedent forward.

          Good day.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Sarcasm is lost on your type.

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          • Anonymous says:

            No. People like you should have a shit day.

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          • anonymous says:

            Dear Mr Thinly-Disguised Police Officer from the Police Association,

            You are just angry because the use of cadets will mean less overtime for you and your friends. The fact that each cadet will be with an experienced officer or the fact that this is a great opportunity for them in their training to experience patrolling such a big event is irrelevant if it gets between you and your pocketbook. Consider being honest for a change about the true reason behind your ‘concerns’.

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        • Anonymous says:

          r u serious?

    • Anonymous says:

      Can you read?

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