Police Commissioner Crusita Descartes-Pelius has sent out a warning to criminals as the island continues to record high levels of gun violence, which was emphasized this past weekend, after two individuals were murdered and 13 others wounded in a mass shooting incident.
Descartes-Pelius said the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) is developing and implementing new strategies to deal with the upsurge in violent crimes.
According to her, the RSLPF will do everything within its power to curb criminal behaviour.
“Despite significant strides by the members of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force we continue to observe increases in homicides, gun related activity and other serious offenses. The recent crime trends are extraordinarily complex and as such require a multifaceted approach.
No longer can we afford to turn a blind eye and pretend the occurrences around us do not concern us. It is time that we collectively stop harbouring criminal elements intent on destroying the very fabric of our nation. Crime is not just the business of the police it affects all of us,” Descartes-Pelius said.
She also spoke of the need for strong social programmes to foster productivity. Descartes-Pelius said that whilst police may succeed in ridding the streets of guns, criminals can still succeed in their efforts hence the need for the abovementioned.
“Someone intent on taking the life of another will find a way. In this vein, strong social programmes geared towards fostering productive members of society at all levels are required. We need to raise a generation which appreciates the value of ethical behaviour and community engagement. We also need to develop public resistance to criminality,” she said.
“As an organization, we continue to make headway in the resolution of homicides with several cases from previous years being brought before the court recently. We have also made strides in increased seizures of firearms across the island. Our covert and overt patrol strategies were revamped, and a visible indicator is the increased check points around the island and at all hours of the day.
These efforts have proven fruitful as a multitude of arrests have been facilitated as a consequence. Outstanding warrants have been affected; weapons, seizures and incidents of crime prevented as a direct result of this increased police operations throughout the entirety of the island,” Descartes-Pelius noted.
Whilst the current situation is challenging, finding a solution is not impossible the commissioner intimated. She called on partner agencies to join the police in its efforts and sent a clear message to criminals.
“To the individuals intent on wreaking havoc you will be weeded out; there is no room for you or your behaviour and the organization which I lead will succeed in putting a stop to your actions. Saint Lucia has no place other than incarceration for those who wish to operate with impunity. Together with the public and our partner agencies we will make it impossible for you to persist. We will do all in the ambit of the law to deal with the scourge of gun violence in our country.
I implore members of the public to provide us with the necessary information to bring these perpetrators to justice to restore law and order in our country. Our crime hotline is once again functional, and information can be shared anonymously. Call 555 to do so. The call is toll free. We encourage you to collaborate with us in our crime fighting efforts. The time to take back our country from these criminal elements is now, enough is enough,” Descartes-Pelius said.