East End MLA demands local cops

| 26/11/2013

(CNS): Independent MLA Arden McLean has made another demand for police in his district of East End and for coverage in the neighbouring community of North Side because assurances made during the Finance Committee meeting by government have not been met. Speaking in the LA on Thursday after gaining special permission to make a statement, he said nothing had changed with regard to policing levels. “To the contrary, things have got worse,“ he said. The people of the eastern districts were being held to ransom by deviant behaviour as break-ins reach record highs, he said and demanded results. The concerns coincide with the publishing of a report in the UK that warns of the dangers in the decline of neighbourhood policing.

McLean told his Legislative Assembly colleagues last Thursday that during the Finance Committee meeting in October both he and Ezzard Miller, the member for North Side, had been asked to be patient as the premier said the ministry was working on improving police coverage in the eastern districts.

However, McLean said that over a month later nothing had changed in terms of police presence but the criminality was soaring and the complete an utter failure of the police to respond to his constituents' complaints was causing a serious decline in reporting.  He said the community was receiving such a bad service from the RCIPS, they saw it as a waste of time and effort to make reports.

The independent member said the burglaries in the two districts were so bad that some residents were dealing with break-ins up to four times a month. He said both he and Miller were being overwhelmed by representations from constituents and residents expressing concerns about crime.

But, he said, the police were still saying that the increase in staff was not warranted as the crime was still far less than in George Town and West Bay, which is where police officers are concentrated. McLean said that the poor service from the police had led to a failure of reporting as police often times don’t respond at all and when they do, nothing is done.
Another source of frustration for his constituents was the response from officers on the phones. He said anyone who called the local East End and North Side police stations were being told to go to or call Bodden Town or George Town to report the crime. 

“The lack of police presence is the cause of the bad behaviour in our communities and we can no longer wait,” McLean told the government. With the local criminals assured that the police would be nowhere to be seen, they could carry on as they pleased, holding the community to ransom and imprisoning people in their homes.

Demanding more police officer, he warned of concerns that his constituents are so frustrated that they may take matters into their own hands. “It is of the utmost importance and government must reassure people and tell them when they can expect to see results.”

McLean’s concerns about the importance of community and neighbourhood policing is one common in many districts, as people like and support this type of policing where they see local officers walking and talking in the community.

A new report in the UK has also stressed the value of community policing and warned of its decline. The results of a commission of enquiry conducted by former Met commissioner Lord Stevens have revealed that the UK police are also “beating a retreat from the beat".

Seeking ways to “change policing to keep a community-based approach", Lord Stevens found, “Neighbourhood policing is the golden thread that runs through it all, and is foremost in my mind to secure a service fit for the 21st century.”

The former top police officer warned that neighbourhood policing is the "building block of fair and effective policing" but it is disappearing and it "must be saved". With 10,000 fewer frontline officers in England and Wales in 2013 than in 2010, a drop of 8.3%, the police, he said, are turning to discredited reactive models of policing.

Lord Stevens described the government's police reform programme as "confused", "fragmented" and "unfocused", allegations which have also been made about the RCIPS. The commission said police forces must promote "community wellbeing" and that crime prevention was as important as reacting to crime after the fact.

Following McLean’s comments in the LA last week, the premier said he was in discussions with the governor about policing levels and was not only conscious of the problem but was of same view as the two independent members that the RCIPS had to provide greater police presence in the eastern districts and respond more effectively to crime reports. Alden McLaughlin said that peace of mind must take precedence.

“I am aware that it is four weeks since we said what we did and it is still not addressed but it is at forefront and we are going to address it,” he said, adding that both McLean and Miller would be invited to the table to discuss the issue.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Time to dump the useless RCIPS and replace them with the KAODPF. Kick ass outer districts police force.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Thanks Arden. Even Little Cayman need to have a proper set up of Office and staff. What if something major happened there by the time that help could be flown in there would be a great problem . A stitch in time saves nine. We need to look seriously at the amount of one Nationality in the Force, it is even worst than the Population of Cayman. You know what I mean. We need Police that these young men will respect and have fear of, not men in cars talking to every woman wearing a skirt.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Our house got robbed, door kicked in and all lights on at night, it took the police officer 30 minutes to come from Rum Point area to EE. We need more officers to be able to respond quickly, it was very scary not knowing if robbers were still in the house or not.

  4. anonymous says:

    Arden and Ezzard, since you guys are joined by the hip, why don't you arrange neighbourhood policing? Become self sufficient and get proactive instead of reactive. Start by selecting some good men and women and get them active in your community. It works! Instead of complaining get active and police unnah own districts. While you are at it, Start a community beautification committee and a concern citizen group and help your districts. Show some concerns instead of going on the radio station and complaining. Thats not what being Caymanian is about. We were always a nation of doers, not complainers. Take Pride Cayman!

    • Anonymous says:

      Hopefully Arden and Ezzard will read your contribution and learn from it.

    • And AnotherTing says:

      Dem two soap box politicians! Hope the people see, now they soon start getting  riled up because nobody putting pets on their windshield.  So much blubber and bluster with an occasional tinge of sense.

    • Anonymous says:
      Obviously you do not like the two MLAs in question ,and your post is totally biased because of it.You ask them to "Show some concerns" ,yet when they show concern and ask for additional police presence ,you complain.You suggest that they " get active and  police unnah own districts" ,but have you really thought this through.Would you really like a politically appointed group policing your district or any district ? I hope not ,as the likelihood of someone being accused of being politically biased in their policing is too great.Did you take the time to ask if these two MLAs have already organised committees in their respective districts or what work they have had done to benefit these districts? No, you did not or you would not have published such rubbish.Oh ,just one more thing ,take a look at what happened with "neighbourhood policing" in Sanford ,Florida.Is that what you want for North Side and East End? Please stop complaining and do something to support these two MLAs in their efforts to get proactive policing in their districts.

       
       
  5. Anonymous says:

    I have to agree with 'blogger 12.25 re abandoned vehicles. Not only are there abanoned cars but some of them belong to the police. I know of a rental property in the prime of GeorgeTown which I am told belongs to a policeman and it has two abandoned cars sitting on it, harbouring rats and infesting the whole neightbourhood. Furthermore when asked to please move them becasue of the health hazzard it poses to decent neighbours he point blank says 'no' he is not moving them. How is that for beng a good police?! How can he encourage or direct others in right living when he doesn't have a clue.or the compulsion.

    The icing on the cak is that he lives in a big posh house in  nice posh developmnt.

    • Coconutz says:

      And that pretty much says it all about the state of the Cayman Islands.

    • Anonymous says:

      I am 12:25, @15:42 and one of the 7 cars I refer to as abandoned belongs to a (Caymanan) policeman. One other belongs to a very prominent (Caymanian) lady JP. It's sickening. Lazy and with no pride in surroundings or respect for other people.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Maybe a local property tax could raise the funds to pay for the increased policing he wants.

    • Anonymous says:

      What do you think? With the new Immigration law property tax is just down the road Bo Bo. How do you think we are going to take care of all the poor that will get Residence? We will need more schools for their children and adopted children, then more hospital space and in fact more of everything. Somebody will have to pay for these facilitys, so it is going to be property tax. Then the social service grants dont mention….

      • Anonymous says:

        Has anyone else noticed the correlation between poor written English and xenphobic rants?

        • Anonymous says:

          You mean like those who misspell "xenophobic"?

          • Anonymous says:

            As someone who can spell both "xenophobic" and "pedant", I think the comment about the correlation has substantial validity from my experience of CNS.

      • Anonymous says:

        Clearly you haven't read the new immigration law. How in the H*LL are the poor going to achieve residency? Read the document before you voice such ill informed opinions of it. 

        Also, use some logic, to get residency a person has to be residing here. How is residency going to increase the population when the people being granted residency have been living here 9 years already? Your comments imply that people only put their children in school or use the hospitals once they get residency. What do you think they have been doing in the 9 years leading up to that? *shakes head*

  7. Anonymous says:

    good time,s for the drug boats ! it was always the number one spot this makes undisputed.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Did the cops catch the scumbag that hit one of them on the head with a brick? If not, he needs turning in. They don't want cops when they have a party or noisy music or give tips to police to get scum off the streets, but expect the cops to protect them (which is valid of course) but dont help in return. Got to work together, but the police need to take better action to win over the people.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Local police would get more information from locals than Outside policemen! It's a simple facts of life! We trust our own more than outside policeman! Bracka

  10. Shepherd says:

    First you need Police Officers that will WORK!  Having a few warm bodies to drive up and down the road does not equal policing.

    Take the entrance to BT bypass for example.  There has been an abandoned black car parked by the LIME exchange for over a month.  Coupon expired in 2011, big clue!  Yet no action is taken.  Or the car that has been abandoned further up the bypass and subject to vandelism with the smashed in windows.

    Officers of all ranks are driving past these vehicles every day, yet it is ignored.  And yes, it is part of their duty!  All it takes is a phone call to get them removed.

    It is that kind of apathy that has poisoned the RCIP and it is getting worse.

    • Anonymous says:

      Pass the black (its dark blue) car you speak of on the bypass near the school, headed to the police station and you will see a silver car with all its windows smashed on the side of the road to your left that has now been there at least two weeks.  Pass the BT police station right now, and you will see the police speed trap set up in the station car park and right next to the window of the police station and you won't be able to help yourself from wondering whether its there out of pure laziness, i.e. sit in the nice air conditioned office and watch the numbers?

      • Anonymous says:

        The problem with the policce and their operations is, they are at the station and when a complaint comes in they cannot deal with, it has to be transferred to Central Police in George Town for them to dispatch officers to the scene or deal with the complaint.  Close down the District Police Stations and send Baines on a Jackass to deal with the problems.  He is the person who has to change his modas operandi on POLICING.  It is time for him to go. 

      • Anonymous says:

        What do you expect?? have you been to Jam and see the delapidated state in some areas??

        Most our police are from jam, they are not going to clean up another man's country.

        Mr. Carter at the DEH is Caymanian and he dont care either. What a mess we have here is this used to be..beautiful cayman Islands..we are losing it through lazy CS and dont -care law makers.

    • Anonymous says:

      There are masses of abandoned cars all over Grand Cayman, many sitting in peoples' yards with grass growing around them. They attract rats. Environmental Health needs to do a huge tag and remove exercise. They would get hundreds. In my small neighbourhood alone there are 7.

      • Anonymous says:

        Ask Mr. Carter, how many times he has personally gone out on an inspection? 

        • Anonymous says:

          Meeeennnnn!  An' leff my comfu'able ay-condition office meeen! Unna mad a wha?

        • Anonymous says:

          Mr. Carter is Caymanian. Yet you guys are sayin we need caymanian Police. Its not the nationality that matters. These guys need to grow big balls and carry out the laws of the land.

          Mr. Carter needs to apply the red sticker on these vehicles and follow up with the department that are responsible to pick them up…what is he scared of?? Simple, if he cant do his job then stop wasting our tax money and replace him. We need people of action.

    • Anonymous says:

      Third world, first class police that Baines continue to praise .

  11. Anonymous says:

    Arden, dont mix east end with north side If we need the police in east end we will call We know our local crooks and for the most partthey are just borrowing something for a moment.  For the most part there is NO Crime in East End

    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah, like the local crook who just 'borrowed' $10,000 from his victim. I'm sure she'll get it back.

      • Anonymous says:

        If the residents would stop condoning the drug pushers/users, thieves and house breakers, they would be little to no crime in those districts.  Help take the district to a higher level, report crime and criminals.

    • Knot S Smart says:

      Thats right.

      Speak up and claim your prize for being the village idiot…

  12. Anonymous says:

    It amazes me of the attitude of the current CoP. I have to wonder why the ruling Government is not interested in addressing this issue. Is it not the case that prevention is better than cure?!!! I guess Baines/McGlaughlin will wait until there is a home invasion that leads to death first before they act. Such a shame. As a "foriegn investor" who enjoys the eastern districts, this concerns me.

    • Anonymous says:

      It's Baines, not McLaughlin. The Premier has no say over operational matters. The Commissioner needs to reallocate his resources to combat actual crime.

      • Anonymous says:

        Actually, the Premier has an audiance with Ms. Kilpatrick. Furthermore, the Government votes the funding allocation for the RCIP don't they?. One would have thought with all the extra millions they would have had a better show of force up there.

        • Anonymous says:

          They are spending it on spying equipment for Mother Country.

        • Anonymous says:

          True, but irrelevant to the point that constitutionally the Premier does not have any operational control over RCIPS.