The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

IN AN effort to reduce “safe havens” for criminal activity in urban communities police on Friday demolished a number of abandoned homes and removed derelict vehicles in the Fort Fincastle area of Nassau.

Assistant Commisssioner of Police, Stephen Dean, called the operation “a direct blow to the criminal element” in the historic, tight-knit community. He added that this effort would not be an isolated step and promised that other urban communities will, at some point, receive the same attention.

According to ACP Dean, after lengthy discussions with residents, in particularly the elderly, Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) officials identified five homes and a number of unkempt lots that needed “immediate attention to curb the scourge of crime”.

He explained that the buildings and vehicles were used to hide weapons, drugs and other illegal items, becoming a hindrance to officers attempting to reduce crime in the area.

“In keeping with our policing plan to develop safer communities, this was a part of our mandate for the year,” ACP Dean said. “We decided not to talk but come here with action. We have schoolchildren walking home in the evenings that are frightened when they have to walk by these buildings.”

During the first phase of operations in Fort Fincastle, which got underway on Friday, authorities demolished two of the five homes earmarked and removed five derelict vehicles.

The initiative was organised by Urban Renewal, the RBPF and a number of corporate sponsors dedicated to improve urban communities.

Keno Simmons, general manager at Bill Simmons Construction, the company responsible for some of the demolitions, said his firm volunteered because they saw the need to help the country.

Mr Simmons said: “It’s a good way to get rid of crime. We aren’t new to this. Our company has assisted police before and will continue to lend our services to get this job done.”

Sidney Thompson, a lifelong resident of the area, called the effort by the groups “extremely important”. He explained that while, historically, the community has been a safe one, in recent years with some homes being left to ruin, criminals have taken over and used the structures to expand their activities.

“Here on the hill we generally have peace, we hear gunshots in the distance, but there are just one or two buildings around here that the young men used to do the wrong things,” Mr Thompson said. “I am happy that the police have stepped in and attempted to fix the problem.”