Premier credits cop funding for drop in crime

| 09/05/2019 | 16 Comments
Cayman News Service

RCIPS cops on the beat

(CNS): Investment by government in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service that provided for community beat officers in every district has been credited for sending the crime statistics in the right direction. A report by the RCIPS this month revealed a decline in overall crime rates and a significant drop in burglary. Premier Alden McLaughlin said improvements in community policing was “demonstrated in the statistics”, and that improved relationships and trust as well as new neighbourhood watch groups had helped to cut nuisance crime and provide intelligence about serious crime.

“I am delighted that property crime and burglary dropped significantly in 2018 and were the lowest for 18 years,” McLaughlin said. “Whilst the RCIPS targeted and imprisoned serial offenders, support from neighbourhood watch schemes has also added to this reduction. Neighbours know when something looks wrong and when someone looks out of place in a community and these groups are raising the alarm with their community police.”

The premier said he agreed with Police Commissioner Derek Byrne that “we need to keep up the pressure to maintain this improvement”, and his Government of National Unity was funding an expansion of the Community Policing Department with the addition of community safety officers, which are civilian posts.

“These officers will know the people in the communities they serve, but more importantly, local people will know and trust him or her. My government welcomes this enhancement of community policing efforts,” he added.

McLaughlin said that government would continue to prioritise making communities safer and work with the RCIPS to tackle crime. He said efforts would be redoubled to clamp down on gun crime, especially once the new Cayman Islands Coast Guard was up and running.

But he warned the country must not be complacent about crime, and while improved policing was about dealing with the situation now, the long-term answer was stopping people turning to crime in the first place. He highlighted community initiatives to build relationships and trust with police and young people.

“I believe the most significant contribution to long-term crime reduction, besides a good education, will come from the early identification of young people at risk of offending behaviour and implementing programmes to help them make better life choices,” McLaughlin said, as he pointed to the new proposed anti-gang strategy.

“The 2018 crime statistics show that by working together we have helped to make Cayman safer. We must all do our part to maintain that improvement over the years to come,” he added

See full statement and the 2018 crime statistics in the CNS Library.

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Comments (16)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Good approach Mr Premier and thank you Mr Premier for the Community Policing efforts.Your haters are busy on here but it’s just jealousy. They are trying to turn others against you for their own selfish reasons.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Words of Wisdom from the Bozo of the Premier….. obviously he doesn’t have a clue and confirms that he really is out of touch with whats really going on!

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Really Alden? Stop travelling and get your head out of your ass..

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  4. Anonymous says:

    We need 200 more cops to actually make a difference. The crimes aren’t going down. Ive been here for 10 years and this place isn’t getting safer.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Cayman already has one of the highest cop/civilian ratios in the world. What we need is a less top heavy management RCIPs, more beat officers and a bloody traffic department.

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      • Anonymous says:

        How about the police enforce all the laws all the time. I do not understand why a police officer investigating a theft does not think that stopping a speeder or unlicensed vehicle is not part of their job. Cross train and enforce all the laws!

  5. Ron Ebanks says:

    5:25pm or maybe they are not reporting all the reported crime why they are delusional about the crime situation.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    I’m amazed how the Premier states that funding is the reason why home burglary has reduced but on the other hand, robberies raised by 33% and domestic violence is at a all time high! Wish you would stop playing politics Mr. Premier.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And car theft? Not to mention the state of cars on the road and also driving standards.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I really fail to see any improvements. Crime reports are less because people are culling iguanas instead of being idol

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  7. Ole Crimnull says:

    Wait till i cant find anymore iguanas!

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  8. Anonymous says:

    2018 ?
    We are almost halfway 2019…..Rapes,. corruption, gay hating….

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  9. Ron Ebanks says:

    Does the second paragraph says that Aden is living on the edge of .
    How can he say those words with straight face . Me that lives thousands of miles away know different .

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  10. Anonymous says:

    What drop in crime? There is more crime than ever before. Yes, a lot of crimes are not being reported to police because we are aware that not much gets done if we do.

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