Rescue delayed by armed response unit

| 07/07/2009

(CNS): The response time of the emergency services to the shooting on Saturday night in George Town remained in question today when police said it was impacted by the need to wait for an armed response unit to check the scene before the ambulance was cleared to enter. Detective Inspector Kim Evans said an armed response unit was on the scene within 10 minutes of the 911 call. However, he did not say how long it then took for the ambulance to reach the victim, who according to reports bled to death and police have refused to comment further on the timeline.

Police said on Tuesday morning that enquiries regarding the incident in which a man was shot in the leg on Saturday night/Sunday morning in McField Lane and died of his wounds were continuing and that the number of officers had been increased.

Although police have not yet named the victim, CNS has learned it was 28 year old Omar Samuels. Detectives say they are following a number of lines of enquiry and a Family Liaison Officer has been keeping relatives of the victim informed of progress on the investigation. On Monday, 6 July, Neighbourhood Officers conducted house-to-house visits along School Road, McField Lane and Rock Hole Road to speak with residents about their concerns.

“We have increased the number of officers working on this case and are making steady progress with our enquiries,” said DI Evans, the Senior Investigating Officer in the case.

Addressing concerns about the response time of police and medics, Evans said there was a need to ensure the safety of all who respond to crimes. “It is always important to ensure that we do not put officers or medical personnel in danger when responding to reports of crimes that involve firearms. Our policy is to have the area checked and cleared by armed response before officers are allowed on the scene; in this case that protocol was followed,” he said.

Evans added that the police had to take into account the fact that there have been previous incidents involving firearms in the same area. “An armed response unit was on the scene within ten minutes of the call to 911. The ambulance crew was given access to the victim once they were satisfied that the scene, which was quite large, was safe,” Evans noted.

Police are appealing for anyone who was in McField Lane, School Road or Rock Hole between 12:30am and 1:00am on Sunday to contact them with information that may help the investigation.

The numbers to call are:

Detective Inspector Kim Evans – 526 0628

Detective Sergeant Collins Oremule – 516 8746

Detective Constable Wade Chase – 526 8911

People can also call Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000 should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.

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  1. Ted says:

    Look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Would I want to be trapped in the middle of a shoot out while giving care to a patient if I was a medic?”  Shouldn’t I be protected?

    Medics are humans! Bullets can go through them! The fact that they are out there risking their own lives to save another should be warrant a thank you, not a where were you?  Please continue to protect our emergency workers, including your own RCIP!  There isn’t anyone out there that is worth the “speed” needed to attend a crime scene, to endanger their own lives. I will always have an appreciation for medics as they saved my life in a major car accident. They are worth speaking for! 

  2. Twyla M Vargas says:

    DIE FROM NEGLIENCE

    You know something, a few persons have died in Cayman from neglience.  Some have even dropped dead in waiting rooms, while most have died on the spot from ambulance taking too long, to police emergency arriving and dont know what to do.   It is called neglect from proper training.  It is called becomming complacent on the job.  It is questioned, why did  a man have to sit and bleed to death if an emergency team was on time. 

    Vigilence is very much absent in emergency teams, whereby when a team is dispatchced, in such a situation, they should not only have personell with guns looking for the criminal, but should have some one well trained who an assist the victim until the Ambulance team arrives.  These police teams should have a trained police officer who can deliver babies, resusutate vitims of drowning, bleeding and other medicals problems of heart and diabetic comas.  I have said it before, and I say it again, give the police force what theyneed.  Pay them well, and give them training which is to be useful on the job.

    I have had the opportunity to see the abulance team move in the past, and trust me they appear to know what they are doing.  In the same breath I must congragulate two ambulance Member team, Connor and Mclaughlin who saved my fathers life a few weeks ago  from a diabetic coma.  But imagine, this team had to come from George Town.  My father was unconscious and almost dead…….Now tell me how come we have a Hospital clinic in Bodden Town and a big police station.  Was anyone up there trained enough, that we could have called, that could have arrived in 10 minutes and assisted until the ambulance came from all the way in George Town.   "Not Good enough I say".   Spend some money on saving lives, it is much more important.

    Both of these teams need to be very agressive in speed, from the moment they get a report to getting on the scene.  This is no time for walking, this is time for running.  Don we ever watch the television how emergency team work?  They run,  and meet you outside when a victim is brought in.    The time has come where emmergency team does not arrive on a scene and can do nothing beside control crowd.   They should be well equipped with knowledge and equipment to save lives.   Blessed Walk good.

  3. Spirit of '66 says:

    I would rather 10 of these gun-toting hoods bled to death in the street as result of their criminality than one of our fantastic police officers risked getting hurt by them.

  4. Anon says:
    Shaun,
     
    I’m sure you and your colleagues did some good work during your time in the DTF and RCIPS, but you seem to have a fairly high opinion of yourself, and I don’t think that what you did was so exceptional that you are in a position to be disparaging about British police services. No they are not perfect either, but for an ex RCIP officer to be suggesting that British police services are incompetent, and their respective policies inadequate, is ‘pot calling kettle black.’ It strikes me that you allow your dislike of British officers and all things United Kingdom to cloud your perspective.
     
    Unfortunately your attitude is indicative of what a culturally fractured island Cayman is, and how this is also reflected in government agencies.
     
    If you are an example of what was RCIP management, it is little wonder that so many overseas officers have left the service if they have had to face such open racism.
  5. Mr flex says:

    Looks like they got it all wrong Shaun another shooting so much for their big talk and their big policy aaah  Cayman some need to stop talking rubbish like they know? what excuse will they have this time

  6. Ciao C Tongue says:

    Shaun,

    Chow ?  Is that because you were about to have your dinner?

    Ciao!

    CCT

  7. Anonymous says:

    Come on guys, focus, a murder has taking place.  Criminals let it be known, if you live by the gun you may die the gun.  Put away the guns, call the Police or a JP to hand in your gun and try to live good with us all.

    Remember you was not born to be a criminal(s), you made that choice.  We as a community hurt when you’ re hurting so please put down the gun(s). 

    For the people in our community,  you know the trouble makers and the ones who has made a gun to be a way of life.  Report them to the Police (20 years is the max at HMP)

    Lets help the Police by reporting these criminals.

  8. witness says:
  9. anonymous says:

    shaun, for your information, Mr Menezes, 27, was shot at Stockwell Tube station in south London on 22 July 2005. The police issued an apology but the Crown Prosecution Service
    decided there was not enough evidence to bring charges of murder or
    manslaughter against any of the officers.
     

    shaun it was because of this policy which you so despise that prevented all of those officers from being charged with manslaughter or murder. the policy was followed, hence no criminal wrong doing could be found. the fact that they killed an innocent person was surely a sad and grave but honest mistake. they thought he was a terrorist, but followed all the processes necessary to deal with the threat that presented itself at that immediate time. He was about to get on to a bus loaded with innocent passengers. just prior to this there were suicide bombings in those very same passenger buses. He was dressed exactly the way those suicide bombers were dressed. they were watching this guy menezes based on intelligence, i presumed that suggested he was a suicide bomber, hence the reason for following him. they had to make a decision, let him get on the bus and face the possibilty of another suicide bombing or prevent such from happening.  May i ask if you as a commander had to make that decision what would have done?

    Had there been no such policy, i guarantee that the police commander would have been charged. If these are the very same policies that you are so much against, well thank god none of the officers under your command had to shoot anyone because who knows you may well have been facing criminal charges today. i rest my case.

  10. Anonymous says:

    We only have a hand full of criminals around and we as the public need to let them know that we are NOT going anywhere.  We must all take a stand and support each other.

    If you live in an area where a few criminals festa, you need to take your community back. Get a group together and do night walks in your area.  Get permission from the people who owns business place and abandoned homes to run these criminals from their property.

    The Police need help and we the public need to do our part.  These criminals can not take everyone in your group down, but if we come out in larger numbers they will leave our communinties alone. 

     

  11. Shaun Ebanks says:

    For Anonymous on Wed 07/08/2009 9:28 …… I suppose with you blokes, no outside individual is allowed or is accepted to make an honest typo while on-line. Perhaps you should be teaching English grammar/literature for the students at John Gray High School instead of being in law enforcement.

    Tell me though, would you happen to be the same UK officer recently on a search with DTF officers, who was instructed by his Sergeant, to search the attic inside a house (6 feet high) and his reply was, "Sarge, I can’t search the attic, as I’ve never had no higher elevation training in the UK " 

    How pathetic !!!!!!!

    Ps. Please let me know if you wish or plan a career change, maybe I can speak with the Honourable Rolston Anglin to find you a position in the education department where proper use can be made of you.

    Chow  !!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      To Shaun Ebanks at 14.08

      No that’s not me, but I don’t have much of a head for heights!

  12. Missing Omar says:

     

    I have to write in response to the ridiculous excuses that are being given by the all the investigating officers in this case.  You say that the ambulance had to get police clearance before they could arrive and offer any medical assistance.  Come on now why that hell would someone shoot someone in a public crowed place and then stick around and wait for the police and medics to arrive on the scene. There is no reason why the medics had to take over an hour to arrive from a hospital that is 5 minutes away.
    I also read that because he had an ongoing case in court for a gun charge that he was known as having guns and that he was apparently the one waving it around. That is another reason why the 911 response and the medical response team took so long toarrive at the scene. The problem with that is because the police here and medical officers don’t have what it takes to be in this kind of job. I say this because you won’t see a fireman say they are not going to out a fire because it’s too big and they are scared. When you chose any of those positions your job is to protect people and that means putting your life at risk to do so. No one forced you to pick this as a profession you chose it and if you don’t have intentions to live your job up to the fullest then you shouldn’t have taken this job so many people have died because of slow medical response. From what I call Aaron Berry died waiting on the paramedics as well. So now the people of the Cayman Islands can have the comfort of knowing that the police service here are scared of what’s out on the street. Wow I feel so safe…don’t you?
    I am glad that the lady on talk back today pointed out that it is offence to stand around and watch a man die. All it would have taken was for one person to do something and I know that others would have lent a helping hand that could have saved Omar’s life.
         
     
     
  13. Shaun Ebanks says:

    For the poster on Wed 07/08/2009 7:36……. Since you are in such great support of the UK Police Policy on the Use of Firearms, perhaps you can explain to me and others why this said policy failed so miserably in the United Kingdom subway (the tube) which resulted in the brutal killing by British Police, of an "innocent and unarmed" Brazilian immigrant whom was supposed to be a terrorist ??????

    You made the point that there were a number "daylight homicides under our watch" which is correct. However that being said, who took down the "two major gang bosses" responsible for these homicides and where are they all sitting today ???? Please don’t tell me is was this present administration or the remnant’s of the last one, who conducted these investigations and secured the convictions. For it was not them, although they victoriously celebrated the convictions in police circles and hinted to the media as if it was them who punched/banged the last nail into the "gang bosses" coffins. The men to be commended as the leader in charge of these investigations is non other than retired Detective Supt. Kenrick Hall, and unjustifiably ousted through PPM and RCIPS politics, C/Supt Derek Haines. 

    Please remember also, the pre Ivan administation didn’t have the millions and millions of CI $$$$$ that was pumped into the RCIPS in 2006 and thereafter, to purchase items such as the infamous invisible/stealth helicopter, the "go fast interceptor vessels" that we had been requesting for many years, including new police vehicles. Those vehicles that we have, had mileage like the greyhound buses in the US and were filthy/stink with mildew from Ivan’s flooding.

    Neither were we given the budgets requested to employ adequate/sufficient staff to deal with the pre Ivan and post Ivan era, of properly policing in the Cayman Islands. I clearly remember "mustering up" officers from the Immigration and Customs departments whom gladly joined us to make up a group to be reckoned with, as we continously banged and kicked down doors simultaneously around the islands seizing our first AK 47, handguns galore, cocaine and ganja until we had to use Customs strong room for storage, as our’s were overflowming with seized drugs at the back of George Town Police Station.  

    I leave you with this quote, "to whom much is given, much is expected". So therefore, please tell me what have we positively gained from all the millions and millions of CI dollars spent on the RCIPS over the past 4-5 years or so ???

    WHERE IS THE "PUDDING" AND WHERE IS THE "BEEF"THAT WE THE TAX PAYERS ARE EXPECTING TO SEE ???? 

     

     

  14. Anonymous says:

    JUST CLOSE THESE PLACES DOWN!!!! IT IS ALSO PRETTY CLEAR THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED!!!!

    If one feels like he can walk around with a gun in his pocket then what does that show you???? Also comfortable enough to hang out at these places that also shows you something. Honestly if people went to these places to have fun then stuff like this would not happen but it goes further than that. There is no need to entertain that type of crowd your just asking for trouble!

    Weather he shot himself or not, someone had a gun and went to this place and there has to be some reason and then it could have been a serious shoot out and maybe some innocent person dead. This is a warning people, take heed!!

  15. Anonymous says:

    Wow. It amazes me how much hell our police force get for trying to protect us. In most countries, a scene has to be secured before medical personnel is allowed to enter. True, no one should have to die so brutal, but as they say, ‘you live by the bullet, you die by the bullet’. This was not some innocent citizen we are talking about. Maybe when the criminals finally shoot and kill each other, our citizens and police will all be safe.

    And for those of you narrow minded people who think I am being cruel and callous, when the innocent start to catch one of these bullets and it’s your family, you’ll be glad to know we have a police force that are trying their best with what they have to work with.

  16. CAYMANIANGAL says:

    to the comment in regards to him awaitinf trial or not he had one arm and you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that there’s no way in heaven he could have loaded the that AK-47

    he could bearly dress him selves mayb we should look at the big picture as to why the police dismissed those charges as it was virtually impossible for him to have that particular machine as he can’t even hold it wit a strap or not……….so people try an focus on the issue at hand he murderer or murders………if there where a number of altercations regarding Omar’s death than witnesses need to step forward and get justice as this could have been my brother or their son….

    He still deserves to have these creeps inprisoned………RIP OMAR…

    may god be with his family i their time of grieving…………

    • Anonymous says:

      To CAYMANIANGAL – the charges against the deceased relating to the AK 47 had not been dismissed by the police.  He was awaiting trial in the Grand Court on 10 November this year.  As for not being able to fire such a gun wiht one arm – please look at all of the film footage which comes out of Georgia (former USSR not the USA) , Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran etc where they often use Chinese and Russian AK47s and you will see that it is possible and indeed common for them to be used one armed.  Of course no-one deserves to die but please ensure your facts are correct.

  17. Anonymous says:

    To Shaun Ebanks who suggests that the UK officers "whom (sic) dosen’t (sic) have a glue " (sic) about what a rock of crack looks like or what a machete is (indeed again Mr Ebanks seems to have a problem with basic grammar and spelling), I beg to differ.  I have worked in the field of criminal justice and law enforcement for 17 years.  15 of those years were spent with British Officers and frankly Mr Ebanks you are talking nonsense.  The UK has a greater problem with crack cocaine use than Cayman.  The gangs on Cayman are frankly disorganised and rather amateurish compared to some of the criminal gangs which exisit in the major cities of the UK now such as in Merseyside, Manchester and Nottingham.  In consequence British policing has become sophisticated and developed to try to meet the needs of fighting the ever burgeoning crime problem.   Additionally legislation has been passed to correct the balance of the criminal justice system away from a criminal trial being a game for a guilty defendant to a system which convicts the guilty and acquits the innocent.  This legislation has been resisted by the legislators on this island despite suggestions from lawyers for amendments over the years.   Of course British officers know what a machete (incidentally that is the correct spelling) and also they know what a "rock" is.  They also know how to write statements properly, keep a contemporaneous note in their notebooks to stop them being picked off in the witness box by defence counsel, to ensure continuity and preservation of exhibits and they have no relations or long term friends on the island to whom they might have allegiance.  Incidentally one of your own home grown officers who was promoted through the ranks whilst you were in DTF was critisized as incompetent indolent and negligent in a Grand Court trial last year – where did he learn all his policing?  If you think the problem is so bad with UK officers perhaps you should lobby to have a law introduced that prohibits the service in the RCIP by any persons from UK.  That should solve the problem nicely because after all all the problems with policing in Cayman are all are imported from the UK!  Your comments are ignorant, small minded, ill-informed and racist.

  18. Wayne Rooney says:
    "Sorry to sound so ‘olde school’ but we (the uk) have been policing for 150 years now, and we kinda know what we’re doing."

















    You  have to be f*ing kidding me right? Gang violence in the UK is rampant. Your country has some of the most primitive people in Europe. Urban poverty is widespread throughout many parts of the country, particularly the north. Drugs are available cheaply everywhere and are used throughout all strata’s of society, so much so that the Themes is literally away with cocaine. Corruption (as we have recently seen) is rampant throughout your politicians; you have world leading rates of teen pregnancy and your violent bands of hooligans are a national disgrace each time they venture onto the continent or further abroad. Did I mention that the weather sucks and half the population has bad teeth? Sorry, ‘Voice of reason’ but your glowing assessment of the Bobbies is a little devoid of reason.



     

  19. Anonymous says:

     I think that before anyone starts saying "don’t arm or we will end up like the USA" should really take an education lesson. The Caribbean is one of the worst regions in the world for homicides, Trinidad and Jamacia lead the list of the best!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

    At least if you had guns you could have some sense of ability to fight hardended criminals (not all police should have guns that is for sure!).

    As Chris Rock says, "you got pecks, I got Tex". 

  20. anonymous says:

    Shaun

    XXXX

    My understanding is that the RCIPS have adopted their firearm policy from the UK, which as i am made to understand, is basically a standard set to be met by all firearms officers and commanders in charge of firearm related incidents. This policy can easily be requested through the FOI. Should any officer operate outside of this policy which i understand is very comprehensive that either themselves or their force could be held liable in the event a firearm is "used" by a police officer. i also understand that this term "used" don’t necessarily mean an actual shooting but merely drawing the weapon and pointing at a person constitutes being "used" and could result in liability, if not done under appropriate circumstances. i also understand that a recent shooting by marine officers intercepting a go-fast smuggling boat in monserrat (see monserrat article) resulted in several police officers and commanders being charged criminally for manslaughter. this is the purpose of having policies; they protect the force as well as they protect the officers from criminal liabilty because it gives a clear and unambiguous standard to be met. Can you say what standard was met by the rcips prior to the adoption of the UK firearm policy? can you say if an officer had "used" his weapon during your time what were the ramifications of his/her actions if they were challenged. it is my understanding that the way things were done back then if challenged the officers actions may have been questioned. An armed DTF or Crime Squad as you called them would not have prevented this shooting. if this is so, then how is it that you could have had several daylight killings during your time.

    The policy to ensure the safety of others prior to a shooting scene being attended by paramedics and unarmed investigators (CSI’s) is a good policy. it may require a bit of flexibilty, but i certainly would not have wanted to be going to that area knowing that there was a possibilty of a gun totting gun man still on the loose there. what if the area wasn’t clear and innocent paramedics were shot and killed. who would be liable? you guessed it right, the COPS. then the storywould change and you would hear COPS failed to make scene safe which cost the lives of innocent by-standers. come on shaun, you of all people should be speaking with a bit more intelligence rather than rallying with the gossip group who rely purely on, "well i heard someone say that". …

    looking forward to your response.

  21. Mr flex says:

    We support you Mr Ebanks,some have tried to ridicule andi criticize you for being outspoken and honest but someone needs to tell the story of what really happened to the RCIP.It is now evident that something has gone seriously wrong and policing needs to change direction as the subsquent chain of events have now brought the safety of the people of these islands into serious question. We the people are also tired of  the very long list of excuses and constantly changing leadership and leaders everyone promising a new era or horizons and the huge amount of public debt being incurred by these "changes" The persons who are responsible for the damage and subsquent serious loss of crediblity and good governance of the RCIP need to be identified held responsible and removed or punished along with those advising. To ensure it does not happened again. Mr Ebanks seems to know who they are?

  22. Shaun Ebanks says:

    Having been mentioned numerous times in the media and through many sources over the years……… concerning inadequate (ARV) Armed Response Vehicles and inadequate (AFO) Authorised Firearms Officers to respond to certain volatile situations, let it be known what the true situation really is.

    As I write this post, I’m well aware of the connotation’s in terms of officer’s and the public’s safety. However, since it’s already public knowledge and known to every criminal and would be criminal(s), perhaps we should discuss how we arrived at this juncture.

    Let me be clear from the onset, I was not a "gun touting cowboy" while serving in the RCIPS nor do I support the notion that all RCIPS officers should carry firearms. ABSOLUTELY NOT !!!!!!!! 

    However, when access/availability to firearms were unjustifiably stripped away from seasoned detectives of DTF and the CRIME SQUAD some years ago (amongst other things), we basically put true crime fighting capabilities back to the 1970’s in the Cayman Islands. Many will argue that no police officer has ever been shot/injured in recent years (last time was in North Side about 15-20 years ago) or even been killed,(Thank God) but the question should be asked, how many civilians were injured/murdered in the last years that could have been prevented by the pro-active intervention of well trained/armed police officers ???

    We should have a group of elite officers which "should include" USG, DTF,CID and certain uniform officers. Some of these officers should have their weaons primarily concealed most of the time, but available at a moments notice should the situation warrants it use. As it now stands, delayed times of response are common in firearm situations as a result of demoralized officers whom are not supported and in no position to intervene through lack of personal protection, to include firearms. Unfortunately, numerous officers will stand back and helplessly watch things unfold, even in the early stages, knowing that their efforts to intervene, would only be met with modern day bureaucracy. Who can blame them for not wanting to get involved as a result of this ??? Every officer wants to get home to his/her family after their tour of duty and dererve this, so why should they become a "body shield" or get caught in the "cross fire" and end up being cold inside the morgue at the George Town Hospital as a result of UK bureaucracy ???

    They told me in 2005 that they wanted me to keep up the "excellent work" that I had been doing, despite "stripping my department (DTF) literally down to nothing and disarming me and my staff". In essence their words to me were, we want you to continue kicking down (drug/gun runners) doors in the mornings (2-3 times a week) and get us another AK 47, more cocaine and more canoes laden with the usual 2,700 -3,000 lbs of Ganja that you normally catch. However, I was not prepared to kick down no more doors without my dedicated and trusted DTF officers or to be in the middle of the ocean chasing criminals in the pitch of night. They in the maintime were in their ivory tower, creating "target packages" for every Tom, Dick and Harry, for me to catch, while I had only two available officers (D/C Davis Scott & DS Gillard McLaughlin) whom I would use to deliver meals/drinks to stranded officers at various Government officials homes 24 hours a day. Is this what they call 21st century policing ???

    Ladies and gentlmen, please do not blame the RCIPS front line officers for their inadequate response to these firearm incidents. It’s not their fault, it’s all been imported from the UK, whom dosen’t have a glue what the hell is going on down here in the Cayman Islands. Most of them who come here, we teach them policing and most of them don’t even have a glue what a "machette" looks like (unless you came from Brixton) nor have they seen "a rock of crack cocaine" or saw the effects of persons high of crack cocaine. That’s a fact !!!!!!!

    However, let me just conclude by saying that not all the fault lies which these "failed imported so called anti-crime policing initatives". Unfortunately we have some of our usual naive/gullable native Caymanians and not so native as well, that jumped on the band wagon supporting these policies/initatives despite being warned of the consequences that would result. So said, so done !!!!!!! These seem ones, continue to pay you lip service today in the media and at the district meetigs, while encouraging officers to re-enlist, while they themselves attempt to discreetly slip through the back door of the RCIPS to seek other advertised employment in Government, including the positions of Chief Immigration Officer and Deputy Chief Immigration Officer.  That’s a fact also !!!!!!!!

    I say to the powers that be, Franz Manderson is a true native Caymanian leader whom I have the greatest respect for and who did an excellent job at the Cayman Islands Immigration Department. Please don’t let the Immigration Department be changed or be seen/viewed, to be in the same night as the RCIPS.

    GOD HELP US ALL !!!!!!!!  

     

     

     

     

     

     

  23. Anonymous says:

    It is past time that RCIPS (and our country) shed its collequial ties to the 19th century and become strong, unified in its desire and purpose, and unrelentless in a mission to improve the country for ourselves and our children.

    We can no longer afford to have untrained and unarmed police officers provide the safety and security for our citizens, residents and visitors.  The olde-England method of policing disappoints and leaves us unsafe.   We deplore the U.S. on one hand but secretly wish we had persons and experience to use them as our model, rather than using other dependent territories.

    The USG probably does a fine job but it is up to the new RCIPS leadership to shock the olde guard culture by denouncing the current protocols and training and procedures and turning the ship in a new direction.

    Arm the officers, disarm the crooks, and do it with profesionalism and within the context of law.

      

    • voice of reason says:

      Hmm, in reply to the last poster about arming every officer. Firstly, my  question is, who has the most gun crime, the UK, or the USA?. i would respectfully suggest the USA, whohas a rampant gun culture, and more armed shootouts than anywhere else. Is that really what you want for your quaint little islands? Sorry to sound so ‘olde school’ but we (the uk) have been policing for 150 years now, and we kinda know what we’re doing..

      The other point is, we need to look carefully at  the source of our (cayman’s) officers, do we want officers from a juristiction where bribery is rife (for instance, i’ll let you off speeding on esterley tibbetts highway for $75) or officers that are still internationally held in high regard, do you really want every idiot that wears a uniform here to have a gun as well? come on….

      Cayman, get your head from up your a*** you cannot protect your community with your cousins, cat boats, thatch and rope. Would there have been any point to your great seafaring tradition if there was nothing in other countries worth sailing there for?

       

      Grow up Cayman, and take back your country, not from UK, because they have helped it survive, but from other places that are very strongly infiltrating it.

    • flip side says:

      here’s a thought… has anyone considered the fact that the ARV (armed response vehicle) guys may have displaced the gun toting offender, and actually prevented a further firefight in an area where there were innocent civilians? Not inly that, has it been proven yet that the deceased didn’t actually shoot himself in the leg?

      What reaction would the police have got if the ambulance had gone straight in to a non sterile scene and further lives were lost? No one deserves to die, but by definition, no one deserves more or less protection from the Police, themselves included…

      Come on posters, have a little balance to your posts will you?

    • anonymous says:

      For Training I would rather have officers trained in Honduras.  They are relatively fair and also take no crap from anyone.  Check out the Prensa and get your updates on this bunch. 

  24. Anonymous says:

    I am speechless really. Someone was left bleeding to death while the "Armed response Unit" checked the scene? WT*? He was shot but he was actually withheld help from the ambulance while the Response Unit checked the scene of over 100 people as i get to understand?????? unbelievable!

    This type of crime will happen, just close these places down. This kind of thing will keep happening. You really can’t expect different results from the same crowd that do the same thing. You have people who just go out for one reason and that is to look trouble and they can once an environment is available to them.

    Set a group of Law Enforments at every club and to not just be outside but to remain inside also. Shake these places up and the criminals that harbor at these places. Get serious with them and if you can’t control it then shut them down. People should not feel so comfortable that they can walk around with weapons and use them.

    Cayman really does not need places that these crimes can take place. Some people don’t care once they can make money but instead we should be working together to make a better Cayman.

  25. Delroy Davis says:

    Today, as violent crimes are on the rise, in particular crimes involving firearms, criminals will be forced to realize that their ability to cimmit these crimes are far superior than the will and determination of the Police Force.  This is due to the Police Force’s omission to challenge and engage these ciminals  during the process of committing a crime, or escapiing thereafter, and instead only confronts these criminals in court, where technicalities of complexed legal issues often prevail. 

    The police service has abled bodied men who are trained to high standards in the use of firearms, why then allow only the Uniform Support Group to respond to report of crimes involving firearms? ( why not even an armed first response team).  This is a dangerous message to the criminals, and the public at large.  Every other member of the force is now percieved as a soft target by the criminals who demonstrates no respect to the very uniform they wear when confronted.

    It is imperative that the hierarchy of the RCIPS  inpower the officers, who now have lost tremendous confidence in protecting life and property, knowing that their method of response, and their effectiveness is not proportionate to that of any  criminal enterprise.  The police and the public at large will continue to feel inferior as long as the  reactive standards of operational procedures now in place continue, and the lack of foreseeability by the police administration in implimenting the necessary changes to safeguard law and order are not realized, then we would have just gotten a glimpse of a culture that is just in it’s infantry stages of maturity.

    In conclusion, safety is an issue of paramount importance, but lets not just  attach that to the safety of the officers only, but also for innocent law abiding citizens that are not too remote from these horrible crimess.  The longer it takes for a USG team to arrive, then  innocent victims/ witnesses can die, be injured, or lost.

    Stop this blatant cowardness and give the officers the necessary tools and training to be able to carry out their duties effectively; we are a Police Service, not a security guard company.  Every Manager, for their own personal interest and security of office is overly concerned about vicarious Liability.  My question is, if  actions you took can be justified in a  court of law to be just, reasonable and taken with goodfaith, and is proportionate to the level of threat experienced, and can potentially save lives, then why be so reactive, and not alot more proctive in implimenting procedures and  policies which will better equip police officers in  protecting life and property.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Look the deceased was awaiting trial – trial date 10 November 2009 -himself for possession of an AK47 which was loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition which was found in his apt in March 2008.  Is it not surprising that the police were wary and needed an armed response unit given that they knew this and had had a report of him waving a gun?

  27. CAYMANIANGAL says:

    they took these various post with government understanding that they carried a great risk and potential of endangering their own lives….so if THE GREAT RCIP WAS ON THE SCENE WITHIN 1O MINS OF THE REPORT THEN WHAT THE HELL TOOK THE MEDICS A HOUR TO TRAVEL TO THE SCENE THAT WAS 5 MINS AWAY….AND WHY ISN’T ANYONE ASSISTING WITH THE INVESTAGATION AS WE KNOW THAT JAH T’S IS A FAMOUS AFTER HOURS HANG OUT AND WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL OR TRY TO TIE THE LEG THAT WAS BLEEDING PROFUSELY???? IT IS NOT ONLY UPSETTING THAT THEY WITNESS A CRIME BUT NEVER ASSISTED THE MAN AFTER THE FACT…..RETARDS…..

     

    HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LIVE AS I TYPE THIS BLOG…..DUH

  28. "Concerned" says:

    Well Inspector Evans, once again you have been placed in the "spotlight". Let’s see how well the force does this time around.  Will they come out on top, making a great name for themselves or once again be criticised and become public mockery????

  29. Anonymous says:

    If this violent breed of criminal that seems to be getting a grip in Cayman was convinced of a strong police response, they would not strut around with weapons.

    The police force is apparently toothless, over-regulated, politically correct, perhaps corrupt and certainly inefficient. I know of someone who reported a theft recently and was told to wait for the officer on the case to call back. Guess what? No call ever came. Guess they don’t give a **** and the criminals know it.

    I also know of innocent citizens who have been arrested on minor charges and had the living daylights beaten out of them in the lockup.

    There is no recourse to complain as it is all done behind closed doors. These people should be recorded on CCTV and the footage should be made available under FOI.