CoP worried by ‘insatiable appetite’ for guns
(CNS): Over the last seven years, the RCIPS, with support from Customs and Border Control, has taken 126 illegal guns off the street, including 19 so far this year, countering what Police Commissioner Kurt Walton said was an “insatiable appetite” here for firearms. Concerned about the impact of gun crime, he told a large group of West Bayers at a public meeting on Tuesday that the illegal importation of guns isn’t just a police issue but a national security threat.
“I am worried about the amount of guns in this country,” Walton said as he spoke about the efforts of the RCIPS, the CBC and the Cayman Islands Coast Guard to intercept their arrival, given that no guns are made in Cayman. “If we don’t treat firearms as a national security threat, we will continue to face the fallout…” he said, warning that things will get worse. “We need to deal with the importation.”
Walton, a 37-year veteran of the RCIPS and the first Caymanian at the helm since 2005, said he knew full well all about the issue of guns as it has been a problem for a significant part of his career. “I know the dangers of it,” he added.
He pointed out that within twenty minutes of signing his oath of office to take up the job as commissioner in September, he was on his way to a murder scene where a local man had been gunned down in broad daylight outside a George Town liquor store. However, he said, swift and focused work on that case has seen three men charged in connection with the killing.
But since then, Walton has been dealing with another spike of violent crime and attempted robberies, including street muggings at gunpoint and an attempted murder. He warned that the robberies would not stop until the police were able to gather all of the necessary evidence to convict the culprits and lock them up at HMP Northward.
During the very well-attended meeting, the community spoke very candidly with the new commissioner, and it was clear that everyone welcomed his promotion to the top job. As a result of the level of comfort the community has with Walton, they did not hold back about their concerns — which he had invited them to do.
District residents raised a catalogue of concerns, not just about the spike in serious crime but broader day-to-day issues, such as traffic problems, especially speeding on North West Point, begging and loitering around West Bay Public Beach, an increase in homelessness, drug abuse, anti-social behaviour, people landing illegally along the Barkers coastline, inadequate police foot patrols, poor customer service from some officers, and a lack of trust about how the RCIPS sometimes manages information given by members of the community about crime.
Walton stressed how important it was for the community to trust the police, and he accepted it was for the RCIPS to “demonstrate you can trust us”. But he defended the service over the extent of alleged corruption in the service.
He accepted that incompetence and corruption were issues in any force but maintained that it was not widespread in the RCIPS. He said they had rooted out several officers and charged them if they were corrupt. Illustrating efforts to charge those involved in any kind of abuse of office, he pointed to a recent conviction of one officer for misconduct and obstruction of justice in a murder case.
The commissioner and Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks urged people to report any corrupt officers that evening before they left the meeting and said they would deal with it. But Walton stressed the quality of many officers and the work they put in. He noted that every night, many officers put their lives on the line, especially during periods when crime is spiking, as police go after those they suspect are involved in the spree of violence.
Nevertheless, Walton took the criticism of the RCIPS on board and apologised to everyone who had had a bad experience with the police. He spoke about current and future efforts to train officers better to handle the ever-evolving issues the service deals with in the modern environment.
He accepted that there were challenges but said the RCIPS was not inept but was “the best police service in the Caribbean”.
Grateful for what he said was the best turnout since he began his series of community meetings, Walton said that engaging with the community was important. He said his goal was to start a conversation about his vision for a police service that cares about, collaborates with and is held accountable by the community.
The RCIPS commissioner and his team will be hosting the final district meeting for this round in George Town at the Constitutional Hall on Thursday from 6pm.
- Fascinated
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- Afraid
I was in the police station a couple days ago. Someone pulled a knife on me. Had to run a report. There was all kinds of broken English and a lot of talking about lunch going on. Sad place. Dealt with the police a couple times. They never fail to disappoint me. Kurt Walton is a decent man, he has a very uphill battle ahead of him.
Shortly after the last native Caymanian took the helm at RCIPS there was a spate of crime that had him removed as COP. Many of us [still] believe that these crimes were “organized” to bring about the removal of the Caymanian COP.
I wish COP Walton all success in his efforts to lead the RCIPS and pray that the CIG/CBC/WORC get wiser about how they assess who they grant entry to, in an effort to reduce criminality.
We need tougher laws and harsher punishments like Singapore
The problem right now is for the past 2 plus years we have had a government that only want to help themselves and those with special interest. Screw you if you got your front door kicked in, or a gun pointed in your face, or being robbed by both street thugs and by the banks or being shot dead in broad daylight. Blame our politicians and not the good cops! Yes we have some rotten apples and dead weight in the force but most are pretty decent men and women.
We need stronger laws on the books and stiffer penalties on crime in cayman. Where else in the world can anyone import illegal firearms and gets bail? Tell me where.
I got an appetite for destruction but if you use your illusions it could all be just a bunch of lies
When the leadership of a country consists predominantly of people who belong to secret societies, corruption will spread throughout like cancer.
“By their fruits, ye shall know them.” Jesus of Nazareth.
But yeah, your tint is too tinty so here’s a ticket.
Its is said Guns don’t kill people. People do but we keep importing those who do! It’s time for them to go back home Cayman.
That’s actually an astonishing amount of guns for such a small island.
Genuine question, how are they getting here?
All of that, but he still hasn’t said what the RCIPS is actually going to do about the increase in crime.
RCIPS aside, the part of the problem that lies squarely on We The People, is the reluctance of Caymanian jurors to convict accused criminals. Time after time, juries in Cayman fail to convict, despite overwhelming evidence. Caymanians cannot complain about the increase in crime if we keep letting the bad guys walk. That’s on us.
It’s also on us that we aren’t pressuring for magistrates and justices to have the teeth to remand most people until trial. Go sit through a court hearing one day, and you’ll be surprised at how many people are released “on bond” without ever having to pay a penny. Especially drugs and assaults. Pressure our jurists to remand these thugs to jail until trial. Jails and prison too overcrowded? Too bad, so sad. Could be a good way to learn a lesson and decide not to do the behaviour again that put you there in the first place.
What happened near kirk supermarket yesterday about 5pm? A helicopter and several police cars, blocked road etc?
There is absolutely nothing in any of the media about this
The efforts of RCIPS are frankly limited and suspect, with impunity to local politicians, and their own fraternity. We know that former cops and prison guards are buying and selling illegal numbers, own bars engaged in prostitution, and walking tens of millions in street drugs out of secure evidence lockers. Maybe the lens should finally be turned inward.
126 guns in 7 years.
Minimum 10 year sentence.
So there are 126 people in prison for gun possession, right RCIP?
FFS! All the appetites for illegal crap has developed right under your nose!
Our standards of policing are awful.
Was the minimum age for attendance 75? Looks like a retirement home in the photo
I guess only retirees will entertain such a crowd and such story telling skills. At least someone is taking interest in them and saying hi :).
Make it mandatory 20 years in for a single bullet.
We are a 2×4 island and we know how the guns get here. How hard can it be to stop it?
Need to get real is what ya need.
Look around you.
It’s coming in waves.
I’m pleased we finally have local expertise at the very top of the service. I am already disappointed that Commissioner Walton so readily defends with “we must trust the RCIPS” and “we cannot ticket our way out of the traffic offences”. We all see far too much evidence every day of the disregard for traffic laws. The RCIPS has long been woefully inadequate where enforcement is concerned. It’s as if they go out of their way to see no issue, then make statements to “urge” the culprits to follow the law. The culprits are NOT listening to anyone’s “urging”! And the government vehicles, including especially the RCIPS and NRA, need to set the proper examples where safe and appropriate driving is concerned!
Just drove past the dump heading into GT. Traffic crawling, so was able to observe a Traffic Unit Ford Explorer SUV on the opposite side of the road, parked up by bushes at Lakeside. A blue Chevy SUV went past it, one headlight out, no front number plate; in other words a slam dunk of at least $200 in tickets, plus probably an unlicensed or unroadworthy vehicle. Traffic SUV didn’t move.
A regular unit SUV I’d already seen going the other direction about 2 hours earlier. Speeding, and no use of indicators.
Get rid of the 🤡 officers. All vehicles should have dash cams too, standard!
I’m sure traffic police could get some arrests if they patrolled ever.
This exactly. Every time some idiot is speeding and swerving in a car smoking oil with bald tires, pull them over and pull on the string. At the very least you’ll find people with no license and no insurance etc. every so often you’ll find drugs. Every so often you’ll find a gun. Keep pulling the strings until the sweater unravels. Lock them up, or kick them out and keep them out for good!
Cayman is out of control now. Crime is every day now. Police couldnt catch a cold to be honest. Catch and release. We dont even go out now its so scary honestly
I’ve been saying this for months–it may not be the one all solution to the problem but we need to modernize our Firearms Acts, our Security Acts and our Spent Conviction Acts.
I have no doubt with Mr Walton especially considering his extensive tenure with rcaps and the experience and training he has we’re going to hopefully see some radical changes. I believe that we need to because Cayman itself has changed on the surface and nothing in terms of action and acts have measured up to this. the only laws that constantly change on a regular are related to Immigration and Customs and Border.
Reading between the lines…. Cayman has a gun violence crime problem BUT government wants to spend the absolute minimum possible on this crisis.
Squashing this crisis with cameras and human tracking ability surveillance throughout the tiny island. Millions in the bank from government budget surplus just waiting to be allocated. But no their choice is to focus on $50 million public bus overhaul to save the planet.