Cops increase armed patrols after weekend gun crime
(CNS): Following three seperate incidents over the weekend involving firearms, a senior police officer has confirmed that the RCIPS has increased the number of armed officers now deployed around the island. Alongside the threat made to acustomer at a local barber shop by a single gunman, police said they also received two reports of gunshots being fired in George Town in the early hours of Monday morning, and although no one was hurt, one of the shots hit a parked car. Chief Superintendent John Jones called on those involved to stop the tit-for-tat.
“The increasing use of firearms on the islands is completely unacceptable,” said CS Jones. “On Friday night we had a man threatened with a firearm within a barber shop in Eastern Avenue. The information we have at the present time is that this was not a random attack. There is no doubt that the people involved in many of these incidents know who the perpetrators are but for whatever reason they do not want to provide us with statements or tell us who was involved. This tit-for-tat must stop now or the consequences for the people involved, or innocent bystanders, could be fatal.”
He said that once again the police are asking anyone with information about those involved to come forward in confidence.
“Information can be passed anonymously if necessary,” the senior officer added. “We all want to see an end to this violence but we cannot do this alone. We need the help of the public.”
Jones confirmed that police have stepped up patrols throughout the island and that increased numbers of armed officers would be deployed at strategic locations to ensure that they could quickly respond to firearms incidents.
“If you are the mother, girlfriend, sister, brother or father of anyone who is involved, please let us know. We know it would be a hard decision to make, but I’d suggest it would be easier to cope with the consequences of making that call than dealing with the heartache of making funeral arrangements for a loved one,” he warned.
Detectives are now investigating the various incidents, including one which took place on Friday 12 February at 7:50pm when a man armed with what appeared to be a firearm entered Mr G’s Barber Shop in Eastern Avenue. He threatened a man in the shop with the gun before running off.
Then at about 1:15 this morning, Monday 15 February, police responded to a report of shots being fired in the School Road. On arrival, police were informed that a number of shots had been fired. One shot damaged a parked car. Police carried out a forensic examination in School Road and recovered a number of spent cartridges. The RCIPS also said that it seems further shots had been fired in the Myles Road area and other shell casings were recovered.
Anyone who has any information regarding any of these incidents is asked to call George Town CID on 949-4222, or call Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS).
Category: Local News
Recently I watched an RCIP officer assigned to a public gathering. The only time he got off his mobile phone was when the other mobile phone in his pocket rang! He spent 2 hours with his back to the crowd chatting on his phone(s). Someone could have made off with his police vehicle and he wouldn’t have even noticed. He must have a bigphone bill but he didn’t look like he wanted to solve any crimes.
A while ago the police commissioner said that there were 15 individuals with access to guns who were known to the police and were causing all the crime. At the very least these guys should have cops outside their door 24/7 and be followed and harassed everywhere they go. Better yet kick their doors down every morning and turn the place over looking for guns. Frankly I’d look the other way if they wanted to line them up for target practice.
Mandatory 10 year sentence for possession of a firearm is changed and gun crime skyrockets.
Coincedence?
Too little too late. Something extreme needs to be done and done now !
The more police we have it seems the more violent crime increases.
QUOTE FROM ANONYMOUS 17.04hrs..""Hire a cop that wants to protect the people and not the ones who couldn’t get a job anywhere else, or the one that wants a power trip, or the expat that wants a holiday. Hire cops that criminals are actually scared of and would think twice about confronting."""
A good friend of mine was a ex-pat cop here for several years and made many friends in the community worked hard and wasent scared of the pathetic ‘gagstas’. My friend want to come back but they no wanthim because he too outspoken and his last boss don like him so talk bad things about him to the comisionner. He the sort of person we need coz he a experience gun cop. We need more cops like him who not scared of the criminals and not afraid to speak out. He is one of the best cops I ever meet, everybody in the community love him bout time the the rcip employ cops like him not these softly softly cops.
On Monday I went down to vehicle licensing dept in George Town and couldn’t park anywhere at the Police station – there were too many Police cruisers parked and double parked there. Where they booking in dozens of new offenders, or where they attending a tea party in the staff room?
There has been no comments from any of you above condemning the evil supposed ‘gangsters’ who commit these atrocities on a daily basis!
From what I can see the police are fighting a losing battle when a man is shot in a nightclub full of a hundred people and not 1 person is willing to do the right thing and give evidence to bring the criminals to justice.
The problem on this island is not the police but the inhabitants who are quick to lay blame but take none of the responsibility on themselves.
People need to stand up and start supporting the law enforcers of this island. We need to be brave and not weak, the news has the police on daily appealing to us for information because without information or witnesses how can they arrest or indeed make a conviction?
These criminals belong to a family, they have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and girlfriends. Are these people not to blame?! These people who know what is happening and stand by, maybe we should point the finger of blame in their direction?
I say that the Government should bring back the death penalty and arm the Police Officers. We as Caymanian Citizens need to now take a stand and march together down to the court house to bring back Capital punishment in our Country. Cayman is gone and the only hope we have left is to also armed ourselves for protection against these criminals because the Police are a hopeless case.
Baines MUST GO NOW he has come here and talked foolishness him and his experts how many chances are we going to give these UK EXPerts You Need to GO NOW and if the Govenor fails to Act he must Go Too As for Our Grand Premier he needs to be remove from the Government.
British policing does NOT work.
I am british and grew up in what was named the mose violent government housing project in the UK and the same sort of thing is happening there. The policing methods of the UK system is way to soft and does NOT work.
Every corner of the uk is now covered by CSTV at huge cost to the hard working decent members of society.
The violence on this Island must be treated with force, and deadly if need be. The police have battons and the crooks have ak47’s, go Figure!! Trust me Cayman I can see this Island ending up just like the UK.
A mess ruled by criminals and "gangsters" with hoodies flashing guns in the street !
Bring in SWAT from MIami for a couple of months and give them a free hand.
If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear!
This tit-for-tat must stop now or the consequences for the people involved, or innocent bystanders, could be fatal.”
It would appear that Baines was right on the money about an innocent getting killed
All those people who know friends or relatives who own illegal firearms and have not spoken up are to blame for this heinous tradegy
It is time to end your silence and report these monsters before more children are killed.
Do not blame the police. If you knew something and stayed silent, look in a mirror to see the one to blame for this needless death.
THE RCIPS SENIOR COMMAND is completely disconnected and out of touch with criminality in the Cayman Islands, the same as they became disconnected and inept through their failed policies and strategies in the UK world of criminality as well.
Plain and Simple !!!!!
Hire some new, unknown to the local gangstas (and their stupid girlfriends) cops, make them work undercover and let them shot some of these hoodlums destroying our society in the rass.
If an individual is infected with the HIV virus or AIDS, would you go and perform sexual intercourse with that individual knowing this… if you are sane with no screws loose or missing, I assume the answer will be No.
It is the same with the RCIP. Why would one call and give information to them after being exposed to "dirty" hands, minds and yes of course cops… information that can cost a life?
"This island is too small… everyone knows everyone… see… that’s the advantage… and the disadvantage. – Burnz"
No ‘Rorschach’, No-one is listening, no-one ever has, no-one ever will.
That is why we are in this mess. Not because we didn’t see it coming, but rather because we failed (and continue to fail) to take Action.
Same BS, different day.
YAWN!!! Same old soundbites from the talking heads…."situation is completely unacceptable"…"tit for tat"…."asking for information"…."come forward in confidence"…Yada, Yada, Yada….
The RCIPS is starting to sound like a scratched CD…..
You don’t get it, do you??? You don’t need 50 more police officers…you don’t need $10 Million more dollars…you don’t need a $2 Million Helicoptor…You need officers who know the value of gathering information and intelligence….NOT officers who would rather dress up and play cops and robbers and walk around areas like Camana Bay whilst wearing firearms on a Saturday morning whilst there are a multitude of families with their small children running about and having fun…
Senior Leadership..pull your heads out of….the sand..and get out and about after dark..Hold your middle management leaders accountable for the whereabouts of their officers who are off sleeping and not patrolling when they should be…Get those "community police" who do nothing other than sit in an office for 8 hours a day 5 days a week and surf the net, out on the streets and walking around and being INTERACTIVE with the community…Gold commanders are completely invisible after 5PM…This is where the leadership of the RCIPS needs to start…by leading by example…Not by policy!! You want to start solving these crimes??? Give the public a reason to trust you and pass on information…This has been said over and over again…ARE YOU LISTENING????
For "Same old soundbites"
Sound words! Sound words indeed! However, in all fairness to the cops, they are working in an environment ofpeople who are slow to accept the reality of what’s really happening, thus, they are even more unwilling to accept the stiff, assertive measures that needs to be taken in order to effectively fight crime. The police are damned if they do and damned if they don’t!
The cops and the government as a whole need to understand that whilst it is democratic to listen to the voice of the people, they are in the higher positions to lead and not to follow, so there must be a wise balance between listening to the people and doing what is in the best interest of the people. A child that is beings scolded will not see the benefits right away, but later they will. Even in the Bible it is said of the Lord, ‘if you had not chastened me I would have gone astray’.
Do some snap operations for starters and care not for the backlash because, the same people who are cussing the police for not doing anything will still critisise them for doing what they have to do.
Dont be like the man who wound up carrying the donkey instead of the donkey carrying him, all because he listened and tried to please everyone – Kick some ass!
You are not entirely clueless as to some of who are causing havoc in our society. Give them hell! The people will thank you later. Have some backbone!
Where is the LOGB ????
Where is Mckeeva – in Vancouver – XXXX off that we making him miss the closing ceremonies!!!
Remember now, he is on "gov’t biz’ at the all -you- can- eat buffett and will rest comfortable in his 5 star hotel after.
But, no worries Mr. Scotland will be happy to stay behind – since he has NO CLUE what to do in these types of situations anyway!!
Bunch of thieves!! Taking the people’s money to pay for them and their families lifestyle!!
We should meet him at the airport and cuss him out in front of ALL them tourist!
Kirk, be glad it’s not you and remember God works in mysterious ways…..
NO ONE HAS FORGOTTEN 1ST CAYMAN BANK MCKEEVA! THEY SHOULD STILL INVESTIGATE HIM FOR THAT!
Baines, get all cops out of the cushy cars and airconditioned offices and on patrol. Now!!!!
This has got to be brought under control.