By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor
St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris shared the details of the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force’s six-point security plan with residents this week.
The multi-faceted approach stresses crime prevention, intelligence-led policing, targeted operations, collaboration with other agencies, engagement of stakeholders, and improvement in administration.
“This represents an action plan to reduce homicides and violent crimes in the federation,” said Harris. “The plan is being backed by resources. It is not a plan that we say put up and wait for the next budget. Whatever exigencies there are of state in relation to this plan, we will ensure that the resources are being made available to ensure effective implementation.”
New measures will include greater use of the Mobile Command Unit, high visibility policing, and strengthening of the Teens and Police Service Academy and the Mentoring, Advising, Guiding and Instructing Children (MAGIC) programs.
The police force will also be expanding CCTV coverage, the use of traffic enforcement exercises, and number of K9 officers.
It will focus on communities around St Kitts and Nevis and encourage them to instate neighborhood watches and the involvement of non-governmental agencies.
“Not a day is to be wasted in terms of the fight and the commitment of this government to this matter of crime because we recognize that we are at a critical stage and the sooner we act the better,” the Prime Minister said.
The cabinet promptly approved the nearly half-million dollar budget for the project in response to a request by law enforcement to support the recent increase in police action, including increased stop and searches, derelict vehicle searches, and other security-related operations which have resulted in a number of arrests.