The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Samuel Butler said yesterday the force has had a “major impact” on the war on drugs in Grand Bahama.

During a briefing at Police Headquarters, ACP Butler said that police have been very proactive in the fight against drug trafficking. “We are doing somethings that are confidential… and so that widespread major drug trafficking in Grand Bahama has come to a good manageable level,” he said.

He indicated police are hearing that major drug traffickers are being put off from Grand Bahama. “In many instances based on intelligence they decide to go out of Grand Bahama because they feel the presence, and those who decide to come, I am talking major drug traffickers, they know we are present as there have been several seizures throughout the year,” he said.

ACP Butler noted that while there is a still a concern about street-level drug trafficking, the police are doing extremely well in identifying these dealers in the community and closing street corner drug shops. “And so, we are happy about where are with drug trafficking and suppressing it,” he said.

ACP Butler indicated there have been great challenges in terms of property crimes, but they were able to achieve some good results nevertheless in terms of arrests. “We had great challenges, and our response to those challenges brought good results when you are able to arrest somebody and put them before courts with 10 counts of housebreaking. Our response has been positive in recovering property and putting people before the courts,” he said.

He also said that such crimes are being committed by a small group of persons who are repeat offenders.

He also indicated the force’s Rapid Response Team has been doing a good job with targeting young men who are part of gangs which are involved in criminal activity and deviant behaviour.

ACP Butler said police have identified several people, many of whom were taken into custody and put before the courts. On the matter of ongoing police investigations, the ACP noted: “All of our murders are not solved.”

ACP Butler also indicated police are still searching for more suspects in connection with the John Bull robbery at Port Lucaya Marketplace in July. “The Lucaya area had a major robbery that put us to the test, and our training allowed us to demonstrate we are more than capable of (handling such matters). We are still looking for several persons who have been properly identified to us and has since left our country,” he said.

“We are doing some good things with our international partners and…at least one of those… we expect we will bring that person back to the Bahamas and due process will take place,” ACP Butler said. He also said the National Neighbourhood Watch Council programme is also going well in Grand Bahama.

“We lost a sense of community, and through that programme, we have seen a rebirth of community and a neighbourhood experience where we share and care about each other. We want the community to feel a sense of responsibility for their community. We are getting good reports from those cell groups that are assisting police in suppressing crime. Our early reporting indicated that persons are excited about the programme,” he added.

ACP Butler noted that police are looking forward to the implementation of the new technology that Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said would come on stream soon to assist them in their policing efforts.

Meanwhile, he indicated that the government’s electronic monitoring programme is working extremely well. “It is an excellent programme that helped us to keep a pulse on those that are being monitored,” he said.