Gunshots were aimed at cops
(CNS): Update Saturday 11:30am — Gunshots fired at a police Chevrolet Lumina early this morning injured a special constable but may have been aimed at the inspector who normally drives the car, according to unofficial sources, who said the vehicle was part of a police convoy on "Hot Spot" patrol. Police say that at approximately 3:15 this morning (Saturday 28 November) a number of police vehicles were travelling in a convoy along Shedden Road, in the direction of central George Town. As the vehicles reached the junction of Dr Roy’s Drive a number of what is believed to be gunshots were heard and the rear windscreen of a police vehicle was smashed.
Sources told CNS that the shot penetrated the vehicle but the bullet luckily only grazed the officer in his back, leaving a burn mark only, and he was released from the George Town hospital after treatment.
A huge area of George Town has been cordoned off by police, from Elizabethan Square to Funky Tangs on Sheddon road, plus a number of side roads. The area, which appears to have an epicentre around Dr Roy’s drive, is being patrolled by armed officers. CNS will update as soon as more details are known.
Police are appealing to any witnesses who may have been in the area around this time and are urging them to call the Criminal Investigations Department at 9494222 or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS).
Category: Headline News
corruption goes deeper than the police force.
People shooting at police, and talk of corruption in the Police Force is entirely two different callings. If this was the reason for the shootings, then let the dirty laundry be aired out. But if it was not, then we the citizens of Cayman should comment for Law and Order.
It is mostsadnenning to hear about the shootings, but I would suggest that if some one is arrested for this, the police should question the persons as to what was their motive. A person should not be allowed to shoot at police or anyone else for that matter, and we continue to talk foolishness as if it is nothing.
You see if we continue to feel this way we will not change things on this Island. So if the police is shot at, an we are not supporting Law and order, what do we do? . Wait for one of our children or Grand Children to get shot, and then begin hollering for police?.
Okay, I wrote "As an outsider looking in…here’s why I don’t believe bringing in officers from the outside. First, they don’t know the islands. Let’s say for argument’s sake, they are sent on a call, if they don’t know the islands, how many times will those seconds count that they can’t arrive on time. Sure, they will have someone with them during training, but, eventually they will be on their own. It takes time to learn a new city, let alone a new islands.
Secondly, they don’t know the culture. Here in the U.S., with a multicultural population, it’s still a problem with citizens, police, schools….cultures and traditions is something most in the U.S. fail to understand and/or learn, the attitude is "well, they should learn to assimilate, or, well, they’re in the U.S. now."
And last, laws are different from the U.S. and UK. How long will it take to teach people from other countries the laws. Another thing that should be taken in to consideration, in the U.S., we’re not on the metric system – example, here in the U.S. when traveling we’d say, "oh, it’s about a mile", in other parts of the world, such as Cayman, you’d say, "oh, it’s a kilimeter." For gas, we pay by the gallon, you pay by the liter.
When you hear the term "morale," this pretty much means, people feel their efforts are not appreciated. They are doing a job to the best of their ability, at the same time know they will be blamed for something whether guilty or not. Eventually, this turns into, just go to work, do what you have to do and not sweat the small stuff. You begin to lose pride, and enthusiasm. Please don’t beat up on your police officers. In this respect, it’s like any other job, where people eventually start to dislike their job, but go to work because they have to pay the bills. Support your police officers and you will see a big difference. I know this because in the U.S., we have lots of problems. When you can communicate and work with residents, things seems to go smoothly. When you decide to use the robo-cop type or rambo-type behavior, the residents lose respect and causes more problems for everyone.
Actual we use miles in Cayman also..and in the UK. Seems a lot of tourists think just because the car meter is in km that our limits are in km when actually they are in miles…explains why there are so many slow driving white plate cars on the roads.
No offence but you haven’t got a clue what you are talking about. Have you ever been to Cayman?
The road signs are in miles, the gas is advertised and sold by the gallon. the entire island is only 13 miles wrong with one main road running from one end to the other. A new cop would find his way around in a couple of days, much quicker than they would if moving to a new town in the US or anywhere else.
To say that a cop from abroad is at a disadvantage because they don’t know their directions is absolutely pig ignorant. Even the dumbest fool would get lost after a couple of days driving around.
Presumably with your lack of knwoledge of the driving laws and conditions in Cayman you’ll stick to taxis if you ever come here.
To be honest I’d advise you to pull your head out of your backside and research it a bit on the internet before coming. Maybe if you learnt to drive and navigate around this ‘massive’ island you would save money on taxis!
Pignoramous – the island is over 20 miles long…
There are multiple main roads/bypasses in some areas.
It is much easier to find your way around a US city since they are master-planned in most cases – with streets following logical numerical increases.
By the way, can you see your tonsilsfrom where your head is? Should be right in front of you. Classic rectal cranial inversion, dear sir/madam.
The day they arm all RCIPS officers will be the very day I pack every thing I own and say tah-tah to my beloved isle Cayman.
There are far too many axe-grinding, over-inflated, arrogant and bullyish clowns in that organisation.
To put that amount of power into the hands of some of those characters will be the worst possible decision this country could make in regards to this issue.
Matter of fact – I know at least 2 of them who would love nothing more than to try to intimidate my wonderful self with a shiny piece of steel
:o)
I find it funny that after 1 police is just shot after, they block off the area for an entire day yet when an individual gets murdered they block off the area for about 2 hrs and after that, it’s like nothing ever happened…no care for the ppl of this island whatsoever!
Any chance gun crime will be taken really seriously now?
Mandatory life in prison for ANY crime committed with a gun.
25 years for importation.
25 years for possession.
Reinstate the death penalty for any murder using a firearm. 50 years for injury using the same.
The morons that possess and use them will not be deterred – they are invincible and above the law. But at least if they are caught, the consequences are serious and unforgiving!!!
I can only assume that the large numbers of ridiculous claims and statements being made on this page are as a result of people being upset by what has happened.
It is ridiculous to suggest that all police officers should be armed. The logistics of that would be a nightmare, added to which we have the cost. Every day we see people on these pages claiming that the police do nothing but ask for more money and waste it. How much do you think a full training system and armoury would cost for these small islands? But that is not the most important point, the point is: Police Officers carrying guns do not prevent crime. We need only look at America to establish that fact. The effect that cops carrying guns has is that it becomes essential (from their point of view) for every criminal to carry a gun, because they expect to have to defend themselves. Wheras now people carry knives – which can cause horrific injuries – you can’t kill someone with a knife who is not close to you. Have a gun, and you can be 100 yards away, and still kill that person. You can hide, and kill a person. Make no mistake, move away from a system of limited but specialised firearms units, and things go bad quickly – look to Europe where well trained police forces do not have standard issue to all firearms, because the police themselves don’t want it.
The reactionary comments about searching every house, swamping every neighbourhood with police – where are the numbers of police necessary for this coming from? There are 343 police officers in the RCIPS – that is nowhere near enough to undertake some of the ideas being talked about here, yet no one wants to give the police the funding to do the job properly. I do not always agree with John Evans, but he is absolutely right about that helicopter – it would prove itself to be invaluable in this situation, but the accountants are holding the purse strings tight – no more police, no helicopter, no additional facilities.
Sure, the Guilliani approach worked in New York – but you still need a jury to convict people, and we all know that Cayman juries never find anyone guilty. We could have the best police service in the world, with a fantastic investigative team, and with the present failings in our judicial system, it would all be a waste of time. Next problem: It takes far too long to bring people to trial look at how they do things in the US, much much quicker – but we need more money to expand the prosecution service.
As for Mr Baines doing his job – the guy walked into a bad situation, but that was his choice, but you cannot expect change and results overnight. Look at what he is dealing with – Shaun Ebanks, a former officer, and his associates, say that although you have police officers dealing crack (crack that has been confiscated from a crime scene) that they are not corrupt officers. Police officers letting their own off drunk driving charges – they are not corrupt, oh no – that’s just the way the system works. It shouldn’t work like that. If they’ll cover up for each other on drunk driving, what else will they cover up for? Car crashes? Assault? Murder?!!! We cannot trust these people, they are a liability in a court room (how could any jury believe what they said?) and Mr Baines needs to get rid of them before we can trust in our police service. Anyone who says he’s not right for the job – go run an internet searchand look at what the Commissioner has done before coming here. It looks to me like the guy is used to getting results, so let’s give him the money, time, and manpower to do the job, before some child does get killed.
Is that ALL we do in this Country, Talk? For all of our ‘bitching and belly-aching’, in the end we are ALL full of what makes grass green.
How can we expect the Police to do their ‘job’ when we REFUSE to get involved?
The criminals are winning, because WE refuse to take a stand against them. What would we prefer, Pre-Ivan Cayman, or this Post-Ivan Apocalyptic World we have created for ourselves?
IF we truly want the Cayman of old, then WE must take action against Crime and Criminals. SUPPORT the Police in their efforts.
Maintaining Law and Order is a Community effort, not the ‘Job’ of select few.
We must get off of our ass and DO something about it, and stop blaming the Police for a problem WE have created for ourselves.
I agree whole-heartedly Dickus Maximus.
You wouldn’t be referring to the 100+ visually handicapped party goers that were at the Next Level Blind Clubbing Night a few weeks ago, now, would you???
Sadly it seems that the community as a whole has been plagued by an air of ambivalence. Keep up the rally calls for action – baby steps and maybe we can turn this ship around.
In the meantime, why not also place some of the blame squarely where it belongs on the Immigration Department. You keep rolling over thegood honest hard workers, and we are going to keep bringing in bad apples… Nothing will change until the population – expats included – can feel this island can be their home.
Noone likes a messed up home – but most people don’t spend a lot of time cleaning up their hotel rooms when they visit…
Cayman’s rollover means work-permit holders can treat us like a hotel – or worse. Because we are just treating them like guests – and treating them very poorly at that!!! Come, do our work, spend your money, then cluck off!!
An attitude like that sure makes me want to care… NOT!!!
Hey Richard Wadd, what really does make grass green as I am sure we are not all full of RAIN WATER!
As an outsider looking in, I do not like to see how people here a criticizing your police department. This is obviously a job that not everyone can or will do, it’s always dangerous, stressful and most times they are shamed by the public even when at their best.
And to keep saying bring in people from the outside, that may or may not work. People fail to realize, criminals have nothing but time on their hands. They have time to think about what they are going to, how they’re going to do it, and when they’re going to do it.
Here’s something that didn’t make national attention, "Coats Police Chief Knocked Out By Suspect," http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/11/18/953255
Again, police work should not be ridiculed, but praised, with support of the communities and others! This job is one where you’re damned if you and damned if you don’t – meaning you have to follow procedures/laws and sometimes that’s not good enough!
Well, I think it is time for my previous submitted response to be inserted again.
I think that it is time that Jury Duty is made compuilsory for every Caymanian, Staus holder, Permanent Resident and Work Permit holder that has more than 24months of residency in Cayman. It disgusts me when I hear about Caymanians or Status holders who do not want to get all of their paperwork, so that they will not have to serve on a jury.
Being a member of a "Jury of ones Peers" is one of the most basic rights and duties of all members of a free and elected society. If we had a larger and more diverse group of people to draw from, maybe there would be fewer ‘Not Guilty’ verdicts in court.
There would certainly be less chance of the jurists being related to, or a neighbour of or a co-worker of an accused in court.
Even on the occasions that the police have done a proper job of collecting, storing and presenting evidence, often there is a not guilty versdict, when most people know that should not have been the case.
We definetly need to find a new source of well trained peace officers. I would first think of Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealandetc, but not the USA, UK or Caribbean. I am all in favour of the Mayor Guilianni approach as well. We can put our tax free and tax shelter status to work to encourage officers from Commonwealth countries with similar laws to come here and work and save for their retirement.
David Baines, Its time you start to work for your pay check! Where is the public press briefing? Where is the special foreign unit to deal with this type of crime. Why are our local boys in black not armed? You have a major feat; not only the crime issue but dealing with the reputational damage caused by thecoppers that just finished their vacation.
You can’t blame Mr. Baines, for this stupid senseless act.. To me he looks like he’s doing a great job, and the dumb criminals realize that, thats why they’re taking aim at police officers, just be grateful it wasn’t you!! But just like so many obnoxious, ignorant people out there, you never notice effort or anything anyone does for the good, you only remember the bad..Why don’t you become a special constable (not getting paid) and drive around some of the worst parts of cayman, just so your fellow caymanian can sleep better at night.. To me this brave SPECIAL constable should be given a medal!! So next time, how about adding a positive comment to the police catching 4 armed robbers in 45minutes, that has to be a record for cayman! Or commend them on their recent obvious presence around the island, trying to make your butt feel safer!!
Are you crazy or just plain stupid? First let me say that Mr. Baines, is doing a wonderful job by cracking down on his own cops and drugs and violence for christ-sakes the man just got this position can a man breathe???
Number two armed the police with weapons??? Hello? Are u insane? Do u see the way they talk down to our young boys and the public with disrespect!!! Do u want people to end up dead for no apparent reason at all? The police NOT David Baines need to first get an attitude check on reality to regain public trust! They suck especially the police women with lack of morals.
Until such time as a Child , a Policeman or perhaps even a Politician is killed by these lawless thugs and murderers, we can be sure that nothing effective against them will be done tomprotect the rest of us.
Mr. Commissioner, you are a fine speaker but your theories and current soft approach ain’t going to stop this crime wave in Cayman. Stop talking. Go after them. You already know who the 15 thugs are, so get rid of them – thats your job, that’s why you are here.
Unfortunately I believe the public will continue to choose to live in fear and the crimes to which you describe will simply bring forth the usual blame.
Lets not forget that earlier this this year three you men were shot, one was legally an adult and died as a result. Another was left paralized and the third recovered physically fine though I am sure he has been and will remain mentally scared for life. Its time that people step up, talk up and that the police straighten up so that they wont be the target. I am sure if there were less dirty cops they would have a bit more respect than they do.
Shaun Ebanks and others, please be careful how you claim there is no corruption in the RCIPS. From back in the 80’s I was amongst many who bought weed directly from a particular cop. And later I knew of another cop who used to deal coke through a local dealer – cop would score confiscated coke and dealer would distribute it. This is NOT hearsay, I witnessed this – I was not a dealer but at the time I was a user and a close friend of mine dealt, so I hung around a lot. Also Shaun, there’s a particular local officer who reached the top, who had involvement in importing weed on his uncle’s boats and distributing it. I would not invent such a lie just to make cops look any worse than they already do. Then of course, are all the rumors which have existed for years and are not too far from the truth.
So, if there was such corruption then what makes you think it’s any less now? Tempura itself wasn’t flawed, the way it was managed derailed it; don’t be so sure that Cealt won’t reveal some truths. Perhaps it is with the fear of this that many persons, in uniform and outside, wish to see Cealt stifled as well. Please don’t get on any high horse about the absence of corruption in RCIPS, lest you be toppled.
A cop selling weed is not corruption in the police service anymore than a preacher selling weed is corruption in his or her particular religion.
If you bought weed from an individual then I hope you report it to the proper channels and that individual can be dealt with.
Corruption is two or more cops working together with a common purpose that is illegal. I worked with Shaun before he joined the police force, and I know many people who have been employed there or are still employed there, and like Shaun I do not believe that there is corruption in the police service.
Like any police services anywhere in the world there is a certain amount of loyalty to a fellow cop that may have to cover your back in a life or death situation, and I believe that was revealed in Tempura when a retired cop who might have been drunk was released without charges, but generally speaking I do not believe there is any systematic or regular illegal activity being carried out by any cop that is being ignored or covered up by another cop.
I have to disagree with your assessment that a cop selling weed is not corrupt. Police officers have to be above reproach in order to be effective. Police have to hold themselves to a HIGHER standard than anyone else. It is not sufficient to be just as good as the general public, Police have to be twice as good, twice as moral and twice as professional to be seen as being half as good as everyone else in the community. That is what is harming the public vision of the RCIP. Police officers are acting just like everyone else. Police cannot break the same laws that they SWEAR to uphold. They cannot ride around chatting on their cell phones in marked police cars while they are not wearing seatbelts and flying through roundabouts using both lanes without signalling. They cannot beat their wives and girlfriends and not be arrested for assault. They cannot drink and drive and get drunk and then drive to a crime scene and attempt to collect evidence while intoxicated in the presence of the general public. They cannot run side businesses while on government time and use government resources for their personal gain. They should not be seento visit Foster’s, Kirks or anywhere else while in uniform and driving a police car to do their personal shopping and/ or errands/business. All of these things which I have mentioned happen EVERY DAY and are witnessed by countless citizens who then become angry and disillusioned by the actions of the police and you wonder why the community has no faith in the RCIP. Until the commissioner makes a concerted effort to stop these sort of things from occuring by his officers, the public will NEVER support the RCIP. One poster discussed that in some places the police gain respect through force and intimidation. I can tell you this. This is not respect, this is hatred. Hatred of the police and any sort of authority. In order to gain respect, you must first give respect. Only then will you be worthy of having the respect which you seek. Police officers are only human. They make mistakes and they have regrets just like anyone else. However, the sense of holding ones self up to a higher standard is sorely lacking in the RCIP these days. That said, there are still a few good police officers. You know them, you respect them. Do something completely out of the blue and tell them the next time you see them just how much you respect them and the job they do. I can guarantee you it will make their day and lift their spirits.
You missed my point. I was in no way suggesting that it OK for a cop or anyone else to be selling weed, or for a cop to be involved in any other illegal activity. What I am saying is that you cannot tarnish the entire service based on the acts of a few individuals anymore than you can call a bank corrupt because one of the tellers stole some money from somebody’s account.
What if there’s more than one teller taking money, and a few who are aware of it happening, but do nothing about it?
The wording of your post made your point ambiguous. Make no mistake, I know there is corruption in the RCIP. However, there is corruption in EVERY police force the world over. I have listed a number of corruptions in my previous post. The problem rests in that a lot of police don’t see any of these examples as "corruption". They see them as "that’s just the culture of the Caribbean". Another poster stated that a police officer will see with the eyes of their culture. I agree with this statement 100%. If you come from a culture where police corruption is a way of life, then you will not see corruption as anything other than just something that everyone else does, so why shouldn’t you?? This is why I think it is a complete mistake to hire police officers from other regions of the Caribbean. It is clear that every country has their own culture and views on what is right and wrong. We just have to ask ourselves if this is the type of culture that we want brought and enforced against our population??
what a moronic argument. your definition of corruption, "two or more cops working together with a common purpose that is illegal" is not only faulty, but reminiscent of bill clinton’s narrow definition of sex. a cop selling weed is not only criminal but very much corrupt. and it’s funny that you chose that example to support your flimsy argument. as in most organizations, rumours abound… some are true, some are false. the failure of the police to look into some very well known matters that even Joe Public knows very much falls under the definition of corruption. looking the other way because he or she may have to cover your back in a life or death situation is a convenient excuse for failing to do your job – and that is to act above reproach and to enforce the law at all times! the rcip does not hold a monopoly on corruption – it is island-wide and it is systemic…
The police here have my respect. In many countries, the police gain respect by intimidation, and you are fearful even if you have not done anything wrong. But I have not encountered that here, although I admit I may be blind to some things. Overall though the police do an admirable job in a nation with so many cultures represented. The problem I see is with the not- too-bright individuals watching too much television and listening to gangsta’ rap. Without imagination they are trying desperately to emulate the thugs with the gold chains and low-riders for they always appear to be rich with helpless chicks crawling all over them. While we watch television and see it as t.v. or listen to gangsta’ rap and hear it as adolescent bravado, they absorb it like a child and try to dress and act the part. It could be hilarious if it weren’t so dangerous to those around them. I’m not certain if the producers of this junk are aware of it or just trying to cash in on mixed-up youth. But I believe they are and should be held accountable because it’s a crime to use gullible kids. These guyscan’t tell reality from the fantasy they see and listen to. Sorry kids, this is not Miami, or East L.A. And none of you tough guys would last ten minutes in real gang culture! They’d cap your island ass. But we as a society are also to blame when we allow t.v. and mtv to hold up and represent anti-social behaviour as something heroic. Leaving the police to deal with the dangerous results of vivid imaginations. These kids are playing with real guns now and the part they miss is that unlike t.v. or mtv. You go to jail for a long time. No one told them that? It’s about time someone did. If you’re tough enough to pack you ought to be tough enough to spend fifteen years thinking about it.
The fact some moron was angry (and stupid) enough to take a pot shot at the police tells me their presence in that area is upsetting the witless idiots. I know its a big ask, but more of the same please RCIPS. Your presence is obviously upsetting the criminal apple cart.
I’ve deliberately used the above terminology as I believe the root to this problem lies in the education system. If we could offer young people, whether Jamacian, Caymanian or from elsewhere, a bright future….and the intellegence to know shooting at a police car is a bad idea….. they wouldn’t turn to crime. As some people have already stated, the root of today’s problems lie in the past and will take a long time to fix. Until education is improved tackling the resulting crime is akin to bailing the boat without plugging the leak.
I don’t agree that all RCIPS should be armed. RCIPS have an armed unit and they should patrol on Friday and Saturday nights and be authroised to use all force necessary to respond to provocation like this. However, the Bobby on the beat should NOT.
Rant over…peace
Brilliant. Let’s send members of the RCIPS into an area BECAUSE we expect them to be shot at, but DON’T give them guns to return fire… BRILLIANT.
Your reply to the previous poster’s comments proofs his point regarding education. Clearly you can’t even read. He/she said that not ALL policemen should be armed, but those going into the hot spots and dangerous areas over weekends should.
BRILLIANT..idiot.
Look pinhead – "bobbys on the beat" are the ones wandering around (hopefully) when the armed robberies are happening at 8:30 in the morning down in the "combat zone", as we have all gotten used to. They are in the line of fire just as the Friday night cops are, and they need to be armed to respond. A cop should be ready to fight crime everywhere, whenever they have on the uniform. If you thinkthe criminals won’t figure out that robberies are best done when the armed cops have gone home to bed, you are more of an idiot than even I give you credit for (which would be amazing).
You clearly have difficulty reading, thinking, and being polite. You are a jackass.
It doesn’t make sense to hire a bunch of uneducated, culturally corrupt cops to police the criminals. It is apparent since Ivan that the PPM is not interested in an effective police force and further strangles the few good ones with low pay, long hours and incapable management. Time to clean out the force of poorly educated cops and increase the pay, treat them better and train them properly and get a new nationality in that isn’t from a culture of crime and corruption….. yes Canada might be a good place to start! Realize you can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear!
09:10 WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? The udp is now the government, do not continue to blame the PPM for the udp’s miserable failings & lack of solutions! You were probably one of those twits (dumbas-) that complained when the PPM gave the RCIP $50 million as requested to fight crime! The PPM did an awful lot to fight crime & kept it in check! What the hell are you & your useless udp knumbskulls doing to fight crime? NOTHING!!! You & your udp are encouraging crime by not fighting it, & that is why crime is at an all time high, & getting worse! XXXX
I assume that’s a joke. The canadian PC who worked in North Side was convicted of crruption and went to Prison!
19:05 I agree with you about drafting these young men and woman, however these officers would only be responsiable for walking the streets, night walker for the beach, answering the phone and so on.
RCIP need to visit the Primary schools and help in still good values in these young children and let them understand that they will be locked up and ut in jail or even prison if they committ a crime.
It is very sad to see that the Government has to station several Police Officers at the Middle and High schools. Remove the Police Officers and if a child is caught do a criminal offence he is expell for good and hold their parents accountable with the child.
I would see the headlines on Monday, "Police Officer got kill in the line of duty" are we going to see this Cayman. I really think so until the Police Officers show these criminals who is in charge.
Parents when the Police are out there doing there job and they take the life of your child, I really don’t want to hear " Oh they kill my baby" no your baby was trying to kill a Police and your baby had a gun shooting at the Police. If your baby was home the Police bullet would not have hit your baby.
Parents wake up and tell the Police where the gun is because you know…
RCIPS the answer is simple – SHOOT BACK!!!!
Pity the helicopter wasn’t operational.
Criminals like this depend on the cover of darkness to operate. Put an ‘eye in the sky’ over their heads with all the passive and active night vision equipment available and everything changes.
That was Commissioner Stuart Kernohan’s message over two years ago but certain politicians of the time ignored it and, for reasons about which we can only speculate, effectively blocked the creation of the Air Support Unit in October 2007.
Bottom line is this could have been avoided if the RCIPS had been allowed to get on with their job. The problem is they got dragged down by a combination of local politics and the personal ambitions of people with no long-term interest in the islands.
i agree with the post by 19:05. I also agree the cops need to start shooting back. These punk’s think they have the RCIP on the run. kick the pricks door down and give everyone in the home a good flogging! The RCIPS needs to restore their rerspect in the eyes of criminals. When these punks see the cops coming fare should run chill down their spines. Last but not least the entire country is glad that the officer envolved is going to be ok.
Let us have our own Commissioner. No more foreign Commissioner.
Sorry, we need seasoned and educated top cops…our local guys are sadly not up to the task. I wish they were, but they are not.
Here is the way forward, with some hard truths. Hard truths are sometimes hard to read thru, but must be digested. just read and then think about these things over the next few days:
1. stop hiring officers from and 3rd world or developing countries (any other carib nation) just because they are willing to work for 38K per year. aside from unskilled and often non professionals, they see things thru the prism of their culture (no biggie to beat your wife, drive drunk, basically not follow rules and be a social @sshole)
2. no jamaican officers. if they arent corrupt (assume none are), the gangs that run the guns/drugs here know their families back in jamaica. those gangs act with inpunity in jamaica and can hurt them for doing their jobs so they cannot act "without FEAR or prejudice."
3. seriously restrict caymanians on the force, vetting each one thouroughly with ongoing vetting for all officers (caymanian and non)
4. serious pay raise for cops. ie – starting constable should earn 65-75K per year giving the ability to recruit educated professional career officers. recruit them from canada preferrably or the UK since laws in those places have the same basis as cayman law. (PS – i know we are broke, assume you are going to raise the salaries for each officer by 35k – this will be about 10 mill a year – a small price to pay and few would argue with this price tag for a major upgrade to the force) – THIS STEP IS ONE HALF OF THE KEY. THEY OTHER HALF IS THE NEXT STEP.
5. community relations and public trust. with upgraded professional officers, hit the street and rebuild these. THIS IS THE OTHER HALF OF THE KEY.
6. once the above force is ready to roll, the Comissioner calls a press conference and announces the Gulianni approach to cracking down on crime in Manhattan: – start small and work your way up to the big stuff. start nailing people for jay walking, not signalling, blowing thru stop signs – yes – these are things that seem petty but are so prevalent it is an indication of how we as a society have digressed to a point where rule of law means so little that if you sit at the stop sign in front of the courthouse and LA, out ofevery 10 cars, I bet none would stop at it unless traffic flow required it. (think about the mindset of the population – this is a stop sign in front of our LA and courthouse for heavens sake). The 99% of good people of this country will pull their socks up quick and the police will be able to move onto bigger and better things within 30 days of this initiative.
7. lobby your MLA. deterrent must be part of any effective strategy. demand that they pass tougher laws from everything from blowing a stop sign to gun possession. ie – fine for running a stop sign is $25 and jail for possession of a gun is 10 yrs max. on the very left side of the deviant scale – the accountant running out for lunch cant be bothered to stop at the above mentioned stop sign (in front of the courthouse) because the fine for non compliance, if enforced, is so small. make it $100 coupled with above mentioned guliani styled enforcement, and you will see driving habits changed quickly. for the other end of the spectrum, make crimes such as gun possession come with conviction and serious time. – keep upping the term.
i can go on with many other ideas but the fact is, that we need to grow up, face some hard truths, and follow all of the above as a starting point. if we dont do this, we are heading towards just being another crime ridden caribbean country. the difference is – we dont have mountains, rain forests, wildlife or offer a cheap vacation – so if we go down this road it will be a spiralling road because tourists will have no reason to come – all whilst we fight for our financial industry’s life. dark days ahead if we cant face up to it.
MacKeeva – your job here is to summon Baines and ask him about all of the above. Demand the truth – because it is in the interest of OUR children. If he doesnt see it it is because he doesnt have a vested long term interest. If he is not willing, bring in a chief (I would love that job and would do it for a salary of $1.00 per year) that will tell you the truth.
PS – i know this will come at a cost of increased police budget, but willing to bet if i present this plan ‘forward’ to dart, the banks, law firms, chamber of commerce and to ‘the monied’ they will come up with anonymous donations of 10 mill a year pretty quick. sounds like a lot – but it really is a small amount of money given all of the sums sloshing around this island and said commercial interests.
I wish nothing but the best for the good people of the Cayman Islands. God Bless You.
WOW Where do I start picking this to pieces.
Lets start by saying where I agree with you…
1) Yes stop hiring corruptable officers if not corrupt already.
2) I wrap into 1. No third world takes Jamaica off the want list.
3) I would agree that Caymanians need to be spotless and a thorough history needs be examined. Questions such as what relatives of candidate has had run ins with law and to what degree? Known associates? etc.
4) God its hard for me to see giving these guys raises. I would institute a pay for performance system like in private sector. Start salaries remain same and then give them bonuses for certain things such as successful arrest and conviction to the point where its not the officers fault. Details could be worked out.
5) Agreed. Officers need to restablish public trust.
6) We have serious issues here that need far more attention than these issues. I would establish a gang/drugs destruction unit built around getting rid of the element within our society. I am betting that once these two are lowered you will see robberies lowered also.
7) I agree to an extent but I would be much stronger. Gun crime automatically gets 10 years minimum. All other items of event are tacked on to crime. So Gun at Robbery is 10 + Robbery + Breaking and Enteroing + etc. Now all members of team get same don’t matter if they were not in possession of weapon. This makes them all think twice about it. Knife in a crime bring 7 years minimum with only exemption if already at scene which I woudl lower to 5 years. Self defence obviously does not count. Same tack on system applies. Drugs same as Gun crimes with minimum 10 years for dealers. Users get 4 years in drug clinic to be washed out with special work system to bring them back into society enforced on back end.
8) Special requirements for officers before they do their first days work. They must do a training session in the US for 3 weeks where they are taught how to do the job they will be paid to do. Ones who are professional will finish before others. Things such as fitness training, use of guns, etc are taught.
9) Equipting the police – Police vehicles should be equipt with nightvision, powerful flashlights, on vehicle spotlights, vest, etc. No police coming to a scene should say he’s not equipt. I saw how messed up that can be first hand when the police were asking the citizens for equiptment such as flashlights.
10) Each district should have a police leader who is summonable to the elected member of the district to answer questions. He should have 3 days to appear and no more than 3 days. I feel when things go up to chiefs their are filtered down and take too long to get him. I feel that once say an area lets say BT is having a crime wave, the MLA for BT should be able to call out the Head of the BT Police Station to answer questions as to what is happening. It is afterall affecting his constituents whom he/she is worn to defend.
11) I would like to see a Business Clinic held on how to separate one guy from another when faced with a robbery. Pointing out to Business Owners things they can look for that goes beyond his height and build but maybe scars, limp, accent, etc.
12) A set of officers who can be called out to examine business defenses for a small fee. They offer suggestions on ways businesses can better protect their investment. This could be another small money maker for government. Things like where to put a silent alarm.
I also could go on.
I would no focuss on the traffic issues until after you have taken care of the more pressing issues. I would not STOP doing them just not focuss on them.
Also my belief is the US cops are more up to date with technology than the UK ones are. I would train their and teach them Cayman laws separate. We saw how well Tempura went!!
"Here is the way forward" – I think you’ve nailed it. We need educated, experienced, well-trained police officers, preferably from Canada or the U.S. (they’ll have no family ties to our local thugs).
If we pay them properly, they will come. I know I would have no problem seeing my taxes go towards their increased pay. It’s a small price to pay, to get ourselves a top-notch police force.
And the Guiliani approach sure worked for New York. Why not here?
You’re right about us becoming just another crime-ridden Caribbean country – we have nothing to distract potential tourists from the escalating crime – no mountains, or rivers, or fabulous countryside. And we’ll never be a "cheap vacation".
Seems to me, ever since Stuart Kernohan left, crime has gotten out of control. It was bad before he came but, once he arrived, everything seemed to calm down. Call me crazy, but maybe he knew what he was doing…….
I have been in touch with several police officers whom are very shaken by this whole incident.
There is too much "pussy footing and lip service" that has been going on into the RCIPS these past couple of years. It is high time for "Real Effective Action" to be taken against these criminals who roam these streets untouched due to the created bureaucracy and absolute incompetence by those whom are in top leadership positions.
Make no mistake Cayman Islands, in this country there are well established "arms traffickers" whom are operating their illegal business 24/7, with a network of people who travel overseas regularly and make connections with those established in this illegal trade. This is a fact Cayman.
There is no difference between "drug traffickers" and "arms traffickers". They are both ruthless and both are well established here and are open for business to anyone who is willing to pass money from one hand to another.
Commissioner Baines and his advisors need to fully understand and accept this. It is past time for them to get off their butts and take a positive and effective stance against these criminals. He and others should immediately stop the persistent statements of alleged acts of corruption into the RCIPS and the well publicized notion of an absolute need to form "an internal anti-corruption unit" to deal with "serious allegations of corruption", which is an absolute sack of hog wash. It can only see these type of persistent statements as very disheartening and demoralising to your staff who is suppose to delievering results for you.
What corruption did Martin Bridger and his cronies find in the RCIPS since 2007 with the millions and millions of tax payers $$$$$$$ that were showered on them, to prove this ???
Get my point !!!
Problem?
Why do we have so many jamaicans advising our government right now?
If they were so good at governing, jamaica would be well governed.
Why do we have so many jamaican police in the force right now?
If they were so good at cleaning up crime jamaica would be crime free!
In my view, more Caymanians need to get into law enforcement.
Solution?:
Perhaps the govt can help by making it mandatory for each young man after high school to serve as a constable, immigration, customs or fire service for one year. Those going away to further education shall serve immediately upon return.
This would help with discipline, patriotism and open people’s eyes for the need to get involved in their community and help enforce the law instead of sitting on the sidelines and criticising the police force for not solving crime.
Most Caymanians leaving school canot read or write, these are not the kind of people we need working in police or fire service. Weed and bad attitude is not goign to fight fires or crime. Customs are rude and incompetent enough as it is, why make it worse?
The few Caymanians that leave school with decent grades will go on to further education, then hopefully if they apply themselves and go against the grain they will work their way up in business or teaching or other professional trades.
These young professionals are not the problem, it’s not them out committing these crimes. It is the first bunch, the kids leaving school without any qualifications, that were too lazy to learn at school and are too lazy to work now they have left. By this time it is too late to help them by letting them be cops for a year or whatever your scheme was.
The discipline of these kids needs to start at home at a young age. The parents need to spend more time at home with their children than they do at the bars or smoking weed. Buy the kids books instead of burgers. By all means let them involve church within their lives but don’t ram the usual bigoted extreme racist, sexist hatred disguised as religion, down their throats. Don’t let the kids stay out all hours, you know they are up to no good, don’t let them out until you are happy with their homework, give them a curfew and punish them severely for breaking the rules.
Government and the parents need to work together to make school more appealing to the kids. Get them away from the entitlement cultrue that has been instilled in Cayman. Show them that they need to work hard to get qualifications at school, they need to apply themselves at school, university and eventually at work and they will reap the benefits. The current culture is proving to not work and is creating a generation of criminals and inadequates.
You are so right, only if you could get this put in place, each one of our BORN Caymanians should be allowed first and only preferences to hold any entry level or the highest positions within our Cayman Islands Govt…..
Dear Mr Right, let me introduce you to the correct name. " COUNTRY OF ORIGN’.
Never poke a bear with a stick !!! I strongly suspect this is the stupidest thing these guys could have done to themselves.
Make no mistake, this will be a wake up call for the RCIPS and they will push back… very hard… and rightly so.
Thank goodness there was only a slight wound, but for a nano-second that officer could be dead… and the person who took that shot should absolutely be charged with attempted murder of a police officer.
Nuff said…
And what will you all say when the police start shooting them?! That is the question….
The Police need to be armed. They police all need to have some form of self defense. The Police need to realize they need to be on high alert all the time. They are up against some well armed criminals and as everyone can see these criminals have no respect for mankind or for the laws of the land! So yes it’s time for the Police to be properly armed so they can protect themselves and our island better than they are able to now.
I’ll say: Try shooting to wound them. Aim for that little spot right between their eyes.
So much is being spent on SECURITY in a place like Cayman Brac where it is just a waste of money only to be SHOWY . $300,000 PER ANNUN could certainly be spent on the poor Police. After all their families loves them too thet are human beings and need protection as much as the public.
This is rediculous, $300,000 per annum being spent to have Security for a Politician in the Brac, the safest place in Gods creation. That money would do good in the Police Department.
There are people in this country who can give evidence against every criminal in this country but they do not do so.
So before you blame the RCIP for the out of control nature of crime in this country, whynot show some real courage and look in a mirror as ask yourself, "What can I do to help solve these crimes?"
Not only should more (properly trained) officers be armed…but also, (law abiding and again, properly trained) civilians should be able to, at the very least, be able to legally pocess arms on their own private property.
Time to "embrace change"!
Keep patrolling RCIPS… Keep fighting the good fight… we will keep praying for you and for your safety. Its heartening to see that the RCIPS was in a hot spot at that time of day… they are cracking down and its only a matter of time before we weed out the bad apples… its a slow process but its working.
The RCIPS is now reaping their reward for letting the criminals have their way for so long.
The criminals do not wish to be disturbed as they go about their profession so they are testing the RCIPS to see if they have the guts to fight back.
So! Will the RCIPS stand up and fight, or will they simply just go back to their desks and let the criminals have their way. I will wait with baited breath to see.
Someone, or some people, are making money bringing firearms onto the island. Life with no leniency. And 20 years for illegal possession of a firearm. We don’t care if the fridge the guns were found in was meant for "someone else". Nor do we care it wasn’t "your gun", if you "found it", if it "wasn’t loaded", if it ended up in your possession "by mistake", or if you didn’t "know it was a gun" >You’re done.
"We don’t care – you’re done."
Be careful of what you wish for: http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/news/Ex-soldier-faces-jail-handing-gun/article-1509082-detail/article.html
Fear of treatment like this is a major reason why people don’t want to help the police.
I told you to start a search operation in those areas, hit the homes, apartments and so on and do it for weeks. The good people in those areas will get sick of it and give up these criminals.
RCIP, this givesyou all the grounds to go in and do it now, not tomm.
The Police Station should be full of people by now, all persons in that roped off area is supects and each person should be process and swab for traces of gun revenue.
Someone fired a gun and that someone more than likely lives down there because of the time.. Get to work officers and arrest and charge someone before one of you get kill.
Sad day in Cayman.
This is an extremely saddening and disgusting event. I am just so glad that no one ways seriously hurt. What more does our poor island have to suffer through. This is just getting ridiculous. We all need to continue praying for our island and law enforcement.
Bring in real cops. Cayman has real crime and needs real cops, with real guns and real crime-fighting skills. The friendly-neighbourhood security guards that have had the job so far need to let some real ass-kicking officers come an clean house. Try the Canadians. They don’t put up with any BS.
Crime is so rampant in Jamaica and the poor Cops are doing their best to no avail, so perhaps more cops from else where is possibly a good idea. But whats the use of more COPS WITHOUT FACILITIES. The answer is Sub Stations to help clean up the areas. Jamaica has Sub Stations all over and they are not the Ritz Carlton either. Everythong that we do here has to cost cost cost cost. When the wrong person is killed maybe then something will be done
The cops here are real enough.. We need officers willing to bring charges against their distant cousins. That will empower winesses to stand forward. And we need judges with the courage to prescribe the maximum on distant cousins, and to send those deserving folks away forever. If we cant do it on our own, shuffle the deck and have Britain roll in. If they can take over the Caicos when one corrupt politico goes too far, surely they can consolidate the worlds 5th biggest financial center as an alternative to HK and Singapore. Better to have it than to loose it, to this kind of BS
I agree with you brother/sister, whoever you are. It’s high time for a change in lawenforcement practice, and I say, they should look to the Canadians for it, the brits have had enough chance……IT DOES NOT WORK.
The refusal to understand that there is a cultural diference is their biggest obstacle.
I am qualified to make this comment.
Well, we all knew it was only a matter of time before the criminals turn on those that are to "protect and serve". Lets hope they’re caught.
Legalise drugs and make them like alcohol. Yes, there will be problems but nothing like the world has now with this stupid ‘war on drugs" approach. Al Capone and the rest of them flourished when the Bible Bashers got alcohol banned. The demand for booze continued and the criminals got rich and many died in the booze wars. Sounds familiar? When people could drink again, crime dropped dramatically. Ah so it go.
Oh and of course it made the personal fortune for President Kennedy’s father-a disgusting and disreputable fat cat of the past who favoured allowing Hitler full sway in Europe. The rich and disreputable will always profit from our foolishness.
Legalising all drugs is a step way to far, but legalising marajuna may have merit, especially if it is decriminalised similar to the Dutch model
This could seriously pick up tourism again, raise money for government and it could be a very good cash crop for the Caymanian farmer,
And let us not forget take money straight out of the pocket of criminals
considering that Cayman is a major transhipment point whats to stop someone from setting up shop legally to professionally ship "goods"? then we’ll see serious drug dealers enter the fray. You think political pressure from abroad is bad now…wait till then….
Legalising marijuana would be the final nail in the coffin for Caymans economy. Already the businesses here supporting the slacker culture have to endure being forced to employ inadequate and incompetent Caymanian staff. now if these staff are now coming into work stoned because it’s been legalised they are going to have to pack up and leave and go and run their businesses elsewhere, the drawbacks of doing business here are already starting to outweigh the benefits, something like this coming in and it just woudn’t be worth it any more.
This is the end of Cayman. Get rid of this Commissioner. They all come here to destabilise Cayman. Bring back Mr. Brady, Mr.Haines and Mr. Brown. These young lads are going to grow up to Become Career criminals.
You are right! I have been told they are using alien mind-control technology developed by the Americans at Area 51 which were provided as a deal for the UK’s support for the Iraq War.
What a great idea! Why don’t you make the whole Police force drive around together like it’s Pirates Week? While I am glad the no one was hurt badly what good does this "Hot Spot" patrol bring the citizen’s of this country?
A proper "Hot Spot" team should be patrolling the real hot spots!!!! You know where the action is going down, go show a pressence there!
shooting into the back of a moving vehicle….
great – are you getting a target for wearing uniform now?
thank god – no one serious injured !
A very very sad day for the Cayman Islands and guess what, in time to come it’s going to get more and more disheartening/alarming when one of these officer’s are killed in the line of duty by one of these multiple gangs whom have organized themselves for battle with law enforcement.
Does it surprise me or others that we have reached this stage in the Cayman Islands ??
ABSOLUTELY NOT !!!!
As someone with many years of law enforcement experience under my belt; I predicted this would become reality in this time frame, although my views and others individuals were dismissed as utter rubbish back in 2005-2006. We could not accept "positive change" they all said.
Positive Change !!!! What "positive change" I ask ???
May I suggest directly to those whom are very senior in rank, to now seek with a passion insideyour "little bag of tricks from the UK" for solutions and answers or reach out to those whom you have followed and embraced, for reassurance and direction in these challenging times you/we face.
To those whom have been strategically given a back seat position (recently) in the RCIPS and have suddenly gone silent, we the public want to hear from you. When I say hear from you, I’m not talking about your future plans in actively seeking a way out of the RCIPS but what have you done in these last couple of years with all the "positive changes" that you embraced and followed ??? The victims and families of about 14 unsolved murders and many other serious incidents needs justice which seems to be fading away in thin air, day by day.
Now is the time you should be soaring like an eagle with "Matrix- and it’s Positive Changes" and not be gobbling away like a turkey who was being prepared for Thanksgiving.
I have always heard that if "you spit in the sky it will fall in your eye"!!
Well right about now the members of the UDP & especially Mckeeva Bush must have a lot of spit in their eyes!
The UDP should know that It is never a good thing to use bad situations to try & gain political points, but from the minute that the PPM were elected into government Mckeeva Bush & his udp cohorts were blaming them for all crimes committed! Funnily enough, the crime rate in those days was little compared to the last 6 months! I wonder who Mckeeva Bush is now blaming for all the terrible crime that has taken place since his udp has been elected into government? If he felt that the PPM were to blame for the crimes in their time, shouldn’t he now take the blame for all the crime happening under his udp? Worse still, thecrimes of today are far MORE in numbers, & far worse in nature than under the previous government! Of course, in typical udp style & fashion, mckeeva Bush will pass the buck & blame others, but the blame rests fully with him. He has made life in Cayman harder than it has ever been before. We are struggling more than ever before, & life is becoming unbearable under this "sell out" government. The udp & Mckeeva Bush LOVE to blame others, especially the PPM, but it is now time for them to take the blame because they should always remember that if "YOU SPIT IN THE SKY IT WILL FALL IN YOUR EYE"!!!!!!
I agree that times are tough here but the vicious crimes in Cayman has nothing to do with the economic crisis. But of course people will say anything to attact UDP.
Wasn’t it the UDP that attacked the PPM about crime during their administration? What is the difference now? The poster is correct, if the PPM were to blame for crime during their government, well then by gosh the UDP must be blamed for the increase in crime now! Isn’t that only logical? The UDP should get out of the skies (always flying) & start running the country, & try to sort out our problems locally, including solving the crime epidemic!
‘Police are appealing to witnesses….’ What’s new?? And guess what, it is very unlikely that they are going to get any witnesses; we all know why. I am not condoning violence and definitely not violence against police but sad to say, the RCIPS is reaping what it has been sowing for decades. When Police officers were disrespecting and bullying citizens just because they felt that the stripe on their side put them above the law and gave them the right to abuse prople and their leadership was ignoring public concerns of such actions, they didn’t care to think that it could come back to be directed towards them. When they were disregarding public trust and exposing names of people who provide information, etc., etc., etc.
Now,of course, they will consider this incident as justification for them to carry guns at all times. Heaven help us when that happens! I hope they find the perpetrator(s) of this incident but just like our hopes for them solving the robberies, muggings and murders, this might be another unsolved mystery.
Commissioner Baines, what you need to do is to entirely revamp the RCIPS, starting with teaching your officers how to respect the public they ‘protect and serve’. That would be start on a long journey.
This is truly sad and i fear is only the beginning to the very wicked days that are ahead of us here in the Cayman Islands. People are always quick to blame the police because ofcourse well they say "Who else can we blame?" i say in any situation before we cast blame we need to look at ourselves and ask What have i done for my country lately?
This is a British Colony. If the local citizenry is incapable of trying and jailing, friends and neighbors who have gone bad, then it’s time for Britain to take over governance and export criminals to the UK to stand trial and serve time.
The UK police has already done enough damage here. They have destabilized and demoralized the local force enough….no more crazy posting like this one…..we may all start to think that the FCO are doing their own postings too….hmmmm, you never know where this one came from, do we??!
Thanks but no thanks….
Trouble here is, most of the Cayman Judicial personel are not "local". They are mostly Jamaican and British! So, now what is your suggestion. It’s clear that simply putting the British in control does not automatically equate to justice being done.
I agree much improvement is needed, but to generalize that all locals are incompetent or corrupt…and then insinuate that the answer is simply to have the "British" take over, as the answer, is not helpful.
Just look back over history…and look at British politics/Govt. currently, and one sees rampant incompetence and corruption also.
To be fair though whilst the British government are mostly made up of corrupt politicians, it’s nothing like as bad as Cayman. At least in the UK when we know they’ve had their hands in the cash register we don’t vote them in again. You guys keep voting for the same idiots even though they continue to rape andpillage the island of it’s resources.
I agree with the previous poster that the corruption is too deep rooted now and the judges have their hands tied and juries decide cases based on who they know not what they know. We need to get rid of the government all together and bring in direct rule from the UK, bring in lots of expat professionals to take over the worst of the muppets doing high ranked jobs based on their nationality, this will help the government and businesses in Cayman get back off their knees.
My thoughts are with my brothers and sisters in the RCIP, I was once there and found it sad to be a sitting duck, with no chance of defending myself by returning fire if needs-be.
This just goes to show how bold these criminals are. The police need to get it together- if they cannot even protect themselves how do they protect the community?? They know where these ‘gangs’ are and what they are doing- why dont they come down hard on them and put a stop to it. Show them who is and should be in charge!
Well we all knew this was going to happen sooner or latter we just all thought it would be later rather than sooner. The RCIPS, Customs, DTF, and Immigration needs to get their act together and need to get it together quick. Cayman is going to hell in a handbasket. Sadly lthis will be yet another unsolved crime. But then again knowing the RCIPS they will try to pin this on some halpess sap.
and that is the way Sue see’s it.
This is totally unacceptable behavior and friends, family and others should not be cloaking this sort of behavior. It is sick. I hope someone turns in whoever is committing all this gun crime in before someone is killed. To the RCIP, I say keep up the pressure. Don’t let them intimidate you and don’t be afraid to protect yourselves and the community at large.
Intelligent folks in cayman has been suggesting that Sub Police Stations be placed in esch District in cayman. At least with cameras in them you might be able to catch the crimminal even if its after the fact. Where this shooting was done was one of the areas in George Town that was suggested. Lets spend less money where is not necessary and put in some Sub Stations.
George Town should have at least three. HOW MUCH WOULD THIS COST ANYHOW?
Yes, I heard about the incident this morning. What a damm shame!! I went by Dr. Roy’s Dr & Elizabethan Sq/Office lounge and the roads are blocked off. Heavily armed officers in intersection of Shedden Rd and Dr Roy’s Dr.
Now here what I would do under my command. I would do a house search to every front door, back door, hen house, dog house, outhouse, well, cistern, cess pool, hard rock hole, crab hole in every square inch of the Shedden rd area. We all know just recently a mother interfere with a witness of a family member (believe it was her son) who is involved in an ongoing investigating matter.
No disrespect to those in the area likes the Ramoon, McField, Ebanks & Seymour’s etc, but the fact is, this involves some of our own people, friends & family. This Bull S*** cannot continue as he will cut off the same genetic producing male sperm of our members of these same names within the lovely community. Am sure they are very shocked and alarmed of what is taken place in Cayman when they (me and you!) awoke this morning. It doesn’t matter of its West Bay, East End or some night club on 7-Mile Beach Rd; it’s our own people, as well as other citizens that are being affected. When all hell break loose those that just settling/working here will just pack their small paper bags and haul a** back their land of birth and leave us in a smoked filled land of gun powder.
Simple fact is, Caymanian family & friends don’t want to say who they are. We know who they are, but we don’t want “To get involved”. It’s not that we are living in Haiti, Afghan, and Somalia where theses countries has just been graded the most corrupted in the World (see more on corrupt countries http://www.forbes.com/2007/04/03/corruption-countries-nations-biz-07caphosp-cx_da_0403corrupt_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=28000 .
This is a small society that has some serious social problems that been brewing for the last 25-30 years or more. No one heed the warning from sociologist Dr. Frank McField years ago when he came back from abroad. It went it one ear and thru the other of then politicians. Today my friends is not far off, because if you say something to this one and that one they all get a lil pissed off with you.
We all know that our present and past polilatisians know these same families/friends, but as soon as that political arm reaches out within its civil services to deal with the problem like a iron fist, the voter returns fire to that politiation and his fist becomes like butter, becomes soft, becomes like custard and he/she holds back the reins of the social service departments, the police, the investigating officer and start the sippy, sippy this and sippy sippy that. That my friend is the receipt of a broken and lawless society.
If you don’t trust the officers, then talk to your pastor/preacher, some members of the /your congregation or your old favorite politician/s. Hope is, and will always triumph within any broken society. All is needed is for us to reach out kindly and respectfully to those that are breaking the law, but with an iron fist with any means possible.
Now Ihope that the powers to be will now realize that one of the biggest assistance in solving crime is "HIGH TECH CAMERAS’. The same way that we can find 50,000 dollars to offer for an award in exchange for information , moneys could be found to set up at least 3-4 little sub stations.These guys out there doing the crime is more organized than some of us in High Positions and power. Forget about them coming forth with information. I would encourage Government to take some of them and train them to work within the Police system. Dont for one minute underestimate them they are smart and was only the victims of bad circumstances, such as not having the right parenting. Lets give them jobs and reverse phycology on them. I am tired of the asking for information, people are scared to give information because of the confidentiality and the risk of loosing their lives. Cameras is after the fact but information would be after the fact too if was given. Definately cameras would be a deterrant. With the customs increase now I am pretty sure that cameras can be affordable.
all police officers need to be armed, able to defend themselves…..and protect the community, rather than becoming sitting ducks….
Business are suffering in this area and other already….with this crime wave.
Say Farewell to the option of legalizing CASINO’ gambling!
They talk like they know what they are talking about!
CRIME AND GREED WOULD DEFINITELY DESTROY OUR INDUSTRY IF WE INTRODUCED SUCH AN OPTION!
Stop bashing your bible you fool. This has nothing to do with casinos. Don’t be such a nonce.
Crime and greed has been instilled into the Caymanian generation by years of bad parenting, an entitlement culture and a failed and corrupt government running the education system.
If casinos were opened on the island they would attract many tourists and expats who would be investing heavily in the local economy.
The casino secuity wouldn’t let in the gang boys or the bible bashers. It is the numbers games and backstreet dealing that fuels this low level crime. None of these thugs could even afford the minimum stake in the casinos. If you don’t want to go there, dont go. Just sit at home and moan like you would anyway.
Zealots like you are one of the reasons why the tourist industry is dying whilst our neighbours are thriving. Get a grip on reality.
Five things:
1. We need more officers OUT OF UNIFORM – in plain clothes, doing the patrols
2. Government need to appeal to the community to assist them in educating the young people. There appears to be an "ignorance" against law and order, overshadowing the young people. Parents are also responsible, but "reaching out to them and teaching them" is the key! Government need to invest more monies to Social Services and preventative measures
3. If we had street CCTV’s we would have probably identified the culprit or culprits
4. I am sick and tired of hearing the from Police that they NEED MORE MONEY!!! Alot of police officers are sitting on large salaries… and what is being done to curb crime! Definitely, government need to realize that this is not a Police matter, but a COMMUNITY MATTER, and money should be put on other things and programs, especially, on strengthening and better equiping the Customs and Immigration Department.
5. In these economic times, people that are stressed and frustrated need GOD in their lives! Our approach to the crime problem is not a "physical warfare" against criminals. We need to change our approach and go to the grassroots in order to deal with this rising problem in Cayman.
Maybe it’s time to start arming the cops, at least they will have a fair chance to defend themselves.
Enough. The Police officers in this country, for the most part, are unarmed . These are the people the we charge with maintaining the social fabric of the society we live in and some are volunteer members who give up their time to keep our country safe while we sleep.
This shooting is dispicable. But alas nothing will be done as usual, the papers will have a few articles, Cayman 27 will have a short news byte and the elected members of Government will give a well prepared statement and try do down play it.
The only persons that will get blamed will be the Police Officers who were involved, for not staying behind a desk like they were told ……………rightMs Parker?
We collectively need to get out of our armchairs and support out Police Force and take a stand, before we loose thisgreat island for ever. What are you the reader going to do about it?
11:13 ENOUGH. I am a reader who wish I was in a position to do something about it. As I see it, I will speak it clearly. I really feel it for those poor police officers who are patrolling day and night with nothing more than a flashlight. They are sent into situations with nothing but a T. Shirt on, good gracious.
But you know something, this is the beginning of the end. Those in authority, whom ever they maybe in top level management, fingers should be pointed at you, because you are not preparing and protecting the police officers for this kind of action.
No, No, No, the Top management in that police needs to take the Bull by the horn now. We need real Police to work the streets. We need Pit Bull, Rockwyler, Bull Dog, thinking police officers from Radication Squads, dont care where they come from. But it is time we stop playing around. All hell is going to break loose the day someone shoots a police officer and kills him. . Stop trying to please the darn public by stifling the police officers in doing their job. Cant you people see that the times have changed, and it is not a darn thing about how police speak to some one. What do you want anyway? The police need to sometime speak with authority when people dont want to behave dem darn self.
I have witnessed situations where suspects have cursed, threatened, suook dog, daw machette and run police out them yard. What the poor police can do beside Stand in the street like a scalled dog. Why? Afraid of Public Pulse, No it is not good enough. The police officers will tell you right now, they cannot do their jobs properly for public and political intervention. For Pete,s sake, Try and train una darn spoil children, and keep them home at night. Parents are to be blamed. I am sorry Mr Baines, you have been given your chance and your deputies too. It is time to kick some ass. Because this is not a joke anymore when police is being shot at in the streets. " Is the whole Island gone mad o whaa?"
not sure what a Rockwyler or a radication squad is but they sound pretty awesome!
Somebody make this uneducated idiot into the chief of police!
Its time to send in a militia in to those areas and wipe out every and anyone who even walks the wrong way
I am hearing this is in retaliation of the arrest of the guys from that area by the Police for that robbery that happened night before last.
I believe Cayman has not taken a turn for the worst in which the gangs are now more armed than the Police and they are now ready to show their strenghts. This is something for all of us here in Cayman to be concerned about.
The days are now gone when there was respect for a Police Officer and a person in that uniform was all that was needed to strike fear and respect in citizens to do what was right in the eyes of the law. Those days are gone. But it is not just because of the culture that has gone array. The police have to be blamed as well. Community interaction and proper relations have gone to the drains.
That convoy of Police cars are known as the Hot Shot Team. They travel in about 6-9 police cars behind each other. They patrol the clubs and streets and I have seen them first hand manhandle people very badly and just because they feel it is 20 or so of them officers together that they can bully the gang boys. Just like any human being those gang boys have a tolerance level and now it has gone over. I am surprised they never killed any of the officers last night however I am thankful it did not happen.
MR COMMISSIONER OF POLICE>> this question is now for you to answer. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? You now realise after last night that the criminals ARE NOT AFRAID OF YOU. They are not scared to shoot at your Police…they are not scared to shoot your police offcers. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO. The Government has given you their support and green light to bring a team in. However we have heard nothing from you as yet as to when you will bring this team in. All we hear is talk as to how you plan to increase the police force. WELL NOW IT IS TIME FOR ACTION. People here will agree with me. THIS MAY BE THE FIRST BUT IT AINT GONNA BE THE LAST TIME this happens now. It is sad to say but last night one of your officers was shot and injured. Next time flags will be at half standas one fo them will be shot and killed. IF YOU PLAN TO MAKE THIS RCIP productive, I would advise you do it now. You can wait no longer.
The question of the day is this now> Will the RCIP arm all their officers. You have some officers that I know will not want to go on the road without protection now. We must equip our officers as any other country does. We need to take Cayman back from these criminal elements.
GOOD LUCK CAYMAN