Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
DESPITE a decrease in overall major crime figures in the Bahamas, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade admitted that the country is still “in a bad place.”
Speaking with The Tribune, Mr Greenslade said the police are doing a “fantastic job” but there are just some crimes that police cannot prevent – especially in an environment where young “angry men” are killing each other over insignificant things.
“If you were to look at the overall crime figures, that is major crime statistics, all of the figures are down. Grand Bahama is down significantly, the Family Islands significantly and also in New Providence. However, what is a reality is that nobody is interested in the reduction of crime when people are still being murdered on the streets of our country, that is the thing that we cannot escape. All of us must recognise that we are in a very bad place,” he said.
“The people that are killing each other are known to each other, they are our children, they are from our homes, they are in our communities and they are killing themselves over silly things. We recently had a case where people killed each other over a plate of food. Now while some people are most embarrassed and wish not to speak about it, and I am not going to speak to the particular case in point, but I am telling you some of the insignificant things that lead young men, predominantly in this country, to anger and certainly to the extent of killing each other. It certainly boggles the mind. We have to continue to work to socialise our children; to re-educate our children and hope to goodness that for the next generation going forward we can recover because we are not in a good place.”
Mr Greenslade said he is not “God” and cannot tell when and where a crime will be committed, but he can ensure that if someone decides to break the law, they will be punished.
He said: “I am not going to be defensive in respect to anyone that is frustrated and wishes to vent their frustrations on the police department. Any well meaning citizen of this country, any well meaning global citizen would understand that crime cannot be and is not simply a function of a police organization.
“Crime has many root causes and those matters cannot be resolved by a police department. What we do is respond. We are very proactive in many, many instances and yes we have prevented murders and yes we have prevented armed robberies. We have prevented many, many crimes, but I cannot assure you today that if another Bahamian decides within his heart that he is going to be evil, has no respect for himself or anyone else, no fear of the law and decides that he is going to do something like killing another human being, I can’t give you any guarantees that I will know who that person will be, where he is and when he will carry out the act. I am not God. I cannot do that.”
Comments
PastorTroy 10 years, 7 months ago
"especially in an environment where young “angry men” are killing each other over insignificant things".
1) They're disenfranchised humans, most likely caught smoking a joint now they have a criminal record and cannot find a decent job. Hell yes they're angry! It's the domino effect.
2) "over insignificant things" Insignificant???? Prohibition has created a BILLION dollar industry, controlled by gangs and outlaws etc. We have our heads buried in the sand on this issue.
3) Our public educational system in The Bahamas is, (for lack of of a better word) a Racket!
TheMadHatter 10 years, 7 months ago
The church says what is "bad" in this country - and young men suffer as a result for not living up to "Godly" standards. But the church will not change. They want their money in the plate.
banker 10 years, 7 months ago
And then there is corruption in the government and the police force.
realfreethinker 10 years, 7 months ago
What happen to the crime plan. Project safe Bahamas,urban renewal 2.0,swift justice and all the other catch phrases ?
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
Thats all they are, simply big words with powerful meanings with no results.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
Dont blame the COP............ he has a boss (BJ) who has a boss (PGC)
Dead fish sink from the head............... he is in a Catch22 right now
BahamianAway 10 years, 7 months ago
All those things are well and good but it doesn't hit to the heart of the problem. The problem is to many poor people...
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
Police are Reactive, if they were Proactive it would result in a police state. Crime cannot be stopped as long as their are humans occupying this planet. Sin is simply in our nature and although it can be curved, it cannot be controlled.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
Dont blame the COP............ he has a boss (BJ) who has a boss (PGC) Dead fish sink from the head............... he is in a Catch22 right now
John 10 years, 7 months ago
Unless men are restored back to their rightful place as head of the home and head of the family, they will continue to act out-of-place. From as early as primary school little boys find themselves having to compete with young girls in academics and performance, and to defend their masculinity against other little boys. UNFORTUNATELY we have a country whose leaders (political and church) find it more convenient to cater to and pander to the women of the country and so this equation, in many instances excludes the male from the equation. AND now many men find themselves under threat from a new breed, or at least a more bold and aggressive breed of females. These are the 'butch' lesbians who compete directly with men in the area of love and romance. And so many men sit on the wall, smoke a joint and say, 'I wasn't cut out for this life". And so while our leaders cater to the women to make themselves appear more macho, we continue to collect dead bodies of men off the streets...
1 Timothy 2:11-15
English Standard Version (ESV)
11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
1 Corinthians 11:3-16
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife[a] is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife[b] who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.[c] 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
John 10 years, 7 months ago
A Man in the house is worth two in the street.
MAE WEST, Belle of the Nineties
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
How do you want the man in the house: as a man wife or as a husband??? In order for a husband to function he must first have a wife....... not a partner or bosslady
Fellas rather be macho ........ hang out with the boys and pick up a jungalist. It seems to be too much responsibility to find and keep a wife
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