Violent gun crime mars holiday season
(CNS): One murder, at least two armed robberies and several incidents where guns were fired all contributed towards a violent December, according to a round-up of Operation Winter Guardian, the crime and road safety campaign conducted by the RCIPS each year over the Christmas holidays. While 2023 closed with a 30% decline in road deaths compared to 2022 and there were no serious crashes in December, the month still saw 350 collisions and more than 250 traffic violations. This year got off to a violent start with a murder last weekend in West Bay
Throughout December, the RCIPS increased the visibility of its officers to provide public reassurance at the end of a year in which armed robberies were frequent and other crimes, such as theft from vehicles, were commonplace.
The operation focused on providing an increased police presence through high visibility mobile and foot patrols in both commercial and residential areas, along with frequent checkpoints for traffic enforcement and education, as well as to discourage criminal activities.
The RCIPS deployed recruits as well as community officers and officers who carry out a front-facing function, including a number of detectives who wore uniforms throughout the festive crackdown. The Firearm Response Unit’s presence was increased over the period to support both unarmed officers and the community.
During the operation, there were eight reports of serious and violent offences, one being the murder of Sven Connor, and there were at least two other armed robberies involving guns. However, there was a drop in the number of general thefts and vehicle break-ins.
Police also recorded an overall decrease in calls for services in December, but George Town accounted for more than half of the police callouts throughout Operation Winter Guardian.
Although there was a decline in the number of fatal smashes during 2023 compared to 2022, there were still nine people killed on the roads. Given the number of collisions Cayman now sees every day on the road, the RCIPS has devised a multi-pronged strategy to increase public confidence and encourage good choices throughout the season.
By Tuesday, 2 January, when Winter Guardian ended, officers had made 25 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol, attended 350 reports of vehicle collisions and given out more than 250 traffic tickets, including 100 speeding offences.
“Although we did not finish the year without serious incidents occurring, I am encouraged by the response and support of the public regarding Operation Winter Guardian and the results we’ve seen from the disruptive measures we’ve put in place,” said Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks in a press release reviewing the seasonal operation.
He said that while it was very difficult to measure the prevention of crime, RCIPS officers “worked diligently throughout the busy period keeping our communities and the roadways safer”.
Ebanks added, “I believe that the operation was successful and well received. I want to thank the public for their support during the respective period. However, this is no indication that we will reduce our vigilance or focus on curtailing serious crimes or our efforts to ensure roadways remain safe.”
Winter Guardian is a strategic redeployment of staff from across the organisation to respond to the season, But Ebanks said the RCIPS is constantly reviewing the deployment of resources to respond as needed to the variety of issues that arise within the community.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Crime, Crime Prevention
Don’t fret, for the governor has issued a statement. All is well again.
700 offences recorded. 25 of which are DUI. That’s 3% DUI.
The US Embassy in the Bahamas put out a travel warning to people visiting Eastern New Providence (Nassau) due to the increased gun crime since the start of 2024. This kind of thing would certainly have impacts on tourism in some way, shape, or form.
symptomatic of a place where 90% laws are ignored with zero enforcement.
didn’t bother me or any of my(non west-indian) expat friends.
The imported labor from our neighbor to the east simply does not come with the mindset or disposition to fit in to our society. The poverty and lack of opportunity they experience in their own country has developed a mindset of “me first”, and a history of colonization has led to an unwillingness to trust others that are different. Discourteous driving habits, willing to take but reluctant to give, hyper-sexuality resulting from a lack of confidence, and so on.
It’s not working and hasn’t worked for a long time. It’s high time that limits were imposed.
Some homegrowns exactly the same!
I have an idea.
lets spend 50 million on a school on one of the outer islands with 100 students.
“the outer islands”
Yea. Cayman gone. They are called the Sister Islands here, snowbird.
Sus crise. They’re building that school so that when unna finish gentrifying Grand Cayman with all the imported slave labor building luxury condos middle class Caymanians can’t afford, you can shuffle the generational Caymanians over to “the outer islands”. We’re now a minority so unna soon be able to vote too, don’t worry.
And yes, it is only Caymanians to blame for Cayman getting sold out for the almighty dollar.
The crime that costs us the most, and threatens the stability and medium-term viability of the jurisdiction, is all steaming forward in thick opaqueness via the Cabinet and Deputy Governor offices. The SIPLC, ACC, FCU – even PAC Chairs, are all passive observers. No concern, arrests, or prosecutions.
Frequent checkpoints? I drive a fair bit. I don’t recall the last time I experienced a checkpoint. I bet it’s been several years at least.
There are so many places a safe and effective roadblock could be effected, but nah, we’ll do a couple and call it a day.
There are plenty road checks… too many infact, implemented at the wrong times and wrong places. For example – Traffic stop on Walkers Road. Bank holiday Monday at 4.30pm. 2 cop cars and 3 cops. Other than DUI, a camera could do that job. It’s a money making effort… let’s get old Man Ebanks for doing 35 on south sound road on a sunday afternoon and get our $300. Meanwhile, in the dark hours, gun and violent crime is unchecked and there isn’t a check point in sight.
well yeah. night is when they switch sides to help out their fellow countrymen
Cant have anything to protect yourself with,cant have fences over 4ft high and cant have bars on your windows or doors. Just sit back and take like a good Caymanian.
the illusion of safety is more important than safety itself.
OK, so banning guns doesn’t help…be like the US and pass 1800 more gun laws criminals don’t follow….
Are you an idiot? There are very few gun laws in the States. Remove head from sphincter, then speak.
Jeez that went over your head! Think the OPs sarcasm was fairly blunt too.
Take your own advice sphincter poster. LOL
There are a ton of guns laws in the US, but wouldn’t expect you to know. What I know and you don’t, is that criminals don’t obey laws. Not very hard to understand if you read CNS, as a good bit of their news is just about gun violence in the Cayman. Guns are against the law in Cayman? If that’s so, I guess you really don’t get it…
Hostile Environment for who us or the criminal hoard ??? Cayman has gone from relatively safe to unsafe and still we import crime and poverty from elsewhere believing somehow we are going to have a different outcome from our fellow OT’s. We know Who and What is causing the crime and problems there. Simple put some folks here are not part of the problem they are the problem and we need to fix that problem and stop looking and making excuses for why we can’t do that Cayman.
Outrageous!!! If Cayman was a poor country I could have some sympathy but with the millions upon millions of budget surplus every year there is zero excuses why these crimes continue in Cayman.
Well, when criminals outright overthrow a government.. You’re kind of screwed.
Nothing to do with how much wealth there is in Cayman, it’s about the lazy criminals that believe robbing is easier than working.
When laziness is encouraged by Government/NAU. Too many able body men and women collecting at taxpayers expense, buying drugs and living life when they should be earning their keep.
A proper acessment should be carried out on all of NAU clients, especially the the Jong women who are having children, who don’t have fathers. Encouraging low esteem and living on the poverty line.
Where is the UPM (Up Promising Money)??
OP says, no arguments about what you printed.
Jam Rock is here to stay…lets party!
Any one got some cocaine?
Just imagine if we were importing the impoverish from the USA to work menial jobs. god knows how many serial killers would be on the loose now.
huh?
From out in left field and other random musings.
That is what Jam Rock is all about – drugs, bad driving and rape. Check the court recids.
Imagine how bad it would be if we didn’t have a governor with a tough on crime stance! hahahaha
crazy how near zero police presence and pretty low chances at convictions embolden criminals. who could have guessed? it is honestly shocking that crime isnt an even larger problem here.
Over 10 collisions a day on average in December, sheesh
that were reported!
Do you really think your politicians care ?
Politicians aren’t police. That saying i agree they dont care.
We don’t think we know they don’t care !
Kenny Bs Garrison of Windsor Park seems to be doing him well. All the Jamaican votes will keep him in power whilst his voters absolutely terrorise the rest of us.
Disgusting. They should stick checkpoints on every exit and entrance to Windsor Park and make anybody coming and going show their papers.
Do it for a month and lets see how much crime on this Island decreases. Then we can do Jon Jons garrison in the first capital next.
Sentiment is right, but the garrison Kenny controls is GT Central.
We are so happy that we left Grand and moved to the Brac.Hopefully the trash from Grand doesn’t follow.
Garrison culture is tribal brought over from where? Culture is generational, it will always exist to some extent. Only time, education and dilution will wipe it.
The only culture getting diluted and wiped is Caymanian culture.
not a cocaine kenny fan however, Windsor Park is split betwwen GT south and GT west. Kenny is GT central.
Jamaican votes? What are you jibbering about?
Only Caymanians can vote.
Sheesh, do you think we’re Democrats from the USA allowing illegals to vote by mail?
No slowing down the daily F1 and Isle of Man wannabes. Vroom Vroom!
100%, they could film Fast and Furious 11 on the bypass from Yacht Club to West Bay every day ay 7am and 5pm. No cops in sight.
Fast and Furious 12: Shamrock Road, road to nowhere.
Go easy on the cops they have to drive from the station a half mile away from the bypass.
Jon-Jon says there is no crime because all these things are being done by the poor underprivileged people who are hurting. Help them Jon-Jon so they stop all these bad things!
6:19 am. I hope that the mental facility will hurry open so we can have our first patient registered. The MP for BTE is supported by the Jam posse , who he is taking care of weekly.
Buying votes should be a crime, like pension deduction from employees pay, which was never paid in.
Up-standing representative eh!
There was only so long that these Islands could remain relatively peaceful compared to other neighbours in the region. You don’t need a huge population to suffer worrying levels of violence and crime. Just look at TCI or BVI. Put together economic hardship, drug/gun culture, policing stuck in the 80s and flagrant political corruption; all the ingredients are there. No amount of gated communities or exclusive beach resorts have stopped this in the aforementioned neighbours so why would it be any different here.
Population increase plays a part as well. It erodes social cohesion and creates a low-trust society.
🎯
Because we used to have pride in our community.
Check Singapore they have little crime and drugs problems.compare their millions of people there to our 100,000 here. They are doing something good. why here can’t do the same ?
Does government have the will to deal with crime? Flush out the bad apples.
For what it’s worth, thank you Brad and RCIPS I know it is not an easy job!
Its a never ending uphill battle we have all been watching unfold for years now. Its total mayhem out there at times. We don’t even go out after dark now sorry
Likewise. The freaks come out at night.
Just a matter of time until another innocent person is in the line of fire or killed by a reckless helmet.