Top cop to meet the people
(CNS): Well over one year after taking up his post as police commissioner, David Baines is hitting the road for his first series of open community meetings across all three Cayman Islands. Joining forces with the community affairs minister, Mike Adam, Baines will be coming face to face with the public in their own districts. Urging people to come out and have their say on crime and community safety, the RCIPS said the first meeting will take place Monday evening in George Town, with the roadshow ending on 31 August in Cayman Brac, the only place he has so far held a district meeting back in July 2009. (Photo Dennie WarrenJr)
Baines and Adam said they have joined forces to hear what the issues are that concern the people most and to share how the public can support the crime fighting efforts of the police.
“We want these events to kick-start a national conversation about crime and community safety on the islands,” said Baines. “We’re keen to hear a range of views from people from all areas of the country about the problems they face on a day-to-day basis and discuss what we in the RCIPS and government can do to address those issues. I think it’s fair to say that it’s time to have a mature debate about crime and safety on the islands and ensure that the plans we in the RCIPS put in place are fit for purpose and meet the demands, and the needs, of our communities.”
Baines added that there was no doubt that the public deserves the best policing and community safety plans that can be developed and delivered. “These meetings will help us formulate those plans and ensure that we begin to work together for a safer Cayman,” Baines stated. “I encourage people of all ages and from all areas of the Cayman Islands to make the most of this opportunity. Your views are important to us so please come along, have your say, and join the discussion about these important issues.”
Adam supported the views of the senior officer and said that fighting crime was not the sole responsibility of the police but that government, businesses and communities also needed to join forces to effectively tackle the issue. “We need to make sure that the minority who commit crime are no longer free to operate on these Islands,” the minster said.
Crime prevention and personal safety tips will be available directly from RCIPS officers who will be present at these meetings. There will be seven meetings in total entitled “Crime and Community Safety – Have your say”, which will begin in George Town on Monday 16 August and will conclude in Cayman Brac on Tuesday, 31 August. Anyone who would like to ask a question or make a comment about the crime or community safety, but cannot make it along to the event can send questions, or comments, to Haveyoursay@rcips.ky
All meetings will take place between 7.00 – 9.00 pm and the dates and locations of the events are as follows:
George Town: Monday, 16 August – South Sound Community Centre
East End: Wednesday, 18 August – The United Church Hall
West Bay: Monday, 23 August – John A Cumber Primary School
Bodden Town: Tuesday, 24 August – Bodden Town Primary School Hall
North Side: Thursday, 26 August – Cradock Ebanks Civic Centre
Little Cayman: Monday, 30 August – Little Cayman Beach Resort
Cayman Brac: Tuesday 31 August – Ashton Rutty Centre
Category: Headline News
Give the man a chance we have everything to gain and nothing to loose. He has the credentials and the knowledge, I for one don’t think he is doing a bad job after all one year to aclimate and learn the flavor of the island .Different culture old boy.
lol give him a chance, as I type this there was another armed robbery at Captains Bakery….
A man gets a job at a local bakery. On his first day at the counter, a woman walks in. She see’s a rack of muffins and asks the man, "How much are these?". The man just stands there and stares at the woman. Angered by the lack of customer service the woman storms out of the bakery. The manager comes to the man and tells the man, "When someone asks you how much those muffins are you tell them they are 50 cents, alright?" The man nods and goes back to work. A man walks into the bakery and also sees the muffins. He asks the man behind the counter how much are they. Remembering what the manager said he tells the man, "50 cents". The man then asks the man behind the counter, "Are they fresh?". The man again stands there and does not reply. Angered by the lack of customer service the man storms out of the bakery. The manager comes back out and tells the man behind the counter, "When someone asks you if they are fresh, you answer "The Freshest!", alright?", the man nods and goes back to work. Another customer walks into the bakery and see’s the rack muffins. The customer asks the man, "How much are these?" The man replies, "50 cents", The customer then asks, "Are they fresh?" The man replies, "The freshest!". The customer finally asks the man, "Give me one good reason why I should buy these muffins." The man again just stares at the customer. Angered by the lack of customer service the customer storms out of the bakery. The manager, now very angry with the man, tells the man, "When they ask for a reason, you answer "Because if you don’t someone else will", ALRIGHT?" The man nods and goes back to work. That night, the manwas ordered to close up the bakery. As he was finishing up, a robber comes in. The robber says to the man, "How much money do you have in the register?" The man replies, "50 cents". The robber then says, "Are you being fresh with me?" The man replies, "The Freshest". The robber, who has had enough, yells, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now!!!?" The man then replies, "Because if you don’t then someone else will"
He’s got some serious damage control to do. We’re not really interested in how he’s liking the diving. He’s not gotten his ass into gear and we want to know why. Lu ceee- you got some explainin’ to do!
Ha get ready XXXX, please stand up and asked for armed police to police your districts.
Stop putting your cops and victims in further danger. Stand up for your country people
The service is on its knees it needs you to stand up for it!
Please stand up and speak for yourself. Because you certainly don’t speak for me. And I don’t want to put the cops or the community in further danger by allowing the public to take up arms.
The service is on its knees because it needs reform, accountability, PACE and other proper procedures, and effective training. That is what the service needs – not guns, not more recruits, not more money, just efficiency.
You appear to be a police officer, and also appear to NOT respect the current law of self-defense in the Cayman Islands. Sadly!
It is NOT possible for an officer of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force to always PREVENT the loss of a law-abiding resident’s life, because the RCIPF will not always be present during an attack, so there are times when law-abiding residents will unfortunately need to defend themselves with a weapon, and yes at times that weapon might be a lawfully owned firearm. The degree of force might unfortunately need to be deadly force.
I can understand your selfish desire to improve your career by HOPING to solve a person’s murder, but I would bet (if beating was legal), that the person would rather be PREVENT his or herself from being murdered, rather they depending on the RCIPF to hopefully catch the murder.
Lord Parker CJ in Chisam (1963) 47 Cr App Rep 130 said: "…. where a forcible and violent felony is attempted upon the person of another, the party assaulted, or his servant, or any other person present, is entitled to repel force by force, and, if necessary, to kill the aggressor …."
Section 18(1)(a) of the Cayman Islands Firearm Law (2008 Revision) reads: “No person shall discharge any firearm on or within forty yards of any public road or in any public place except in the lawful protection of his person or property or of the person or property of some other person.”
So it is unreasonable for you to suggest that law-abiding residents should be at a disadvantage when attacked by criminals who are armed. Any Police officer who would rather criminals have an advantage should resign immediately!
Why on earth do we keep giving Baines the title "Top Cop"? We as the people pay his salary and all he is doing is talking crap at these meetings. He isn’t listening to the people so why waste time and money for him to do his road show….crime is at an all time high and some of the incidents aren’t even being reported!!!
Come no people wake up and smell the roses
Try going to the meeting with an open mind, and then you can raise your questions and have your debate. He may not be right in your mind, but he also may make sense? Not even had the first meeting yet, see what they all have to say.
if he deals with problems in the community like he deals with problems in the RCIPS they will continue as they have always done through successive commissioners .
Top cop had better tell it to the Mouse.
I remember David George conducting a similar exercise in 2008, it was a notably unimpressive effort.
Let’s hope the current CoP actually listens to what the public says this time rather than just going out to ‘show the flag’ or preach.
It often seems from news reports that the most significant change in RCIPS strategy since Stuart Kernohan’s departure is it now appears to be based on the importation of often flawed UK law enforcement policies and personnel rather than a measured response to local concerns.
I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s just an exercise in PR, and it’ll be a poor one at that. Despite the fact that the UK enforcement policies are deeply failed and flawed, they continue to be trumpeted as the best in the world, and are followed blindly. Makes absolutely no sense, but when has it ever???
Having seen policing both in the UK and here on my travels, I got the distinct impression that UK policing and enforcement is a heck of a lot more effective in the UK than it is here – but then again perhaps that’s because the same policing and policies are not enforced here.
And where is your evidence to back up this ‘fact"?
Right, well, carry on and believe what you want to believe – it’s a free world. Policing and enforcement may be a bit more effective in the UK than in the Cayman Islands, but that doesn’t say very much, does it. Ultimately, the UK has fallen far behind in many spheres yet believes that it still rules the Seas; that the British way is still superior to all other ways… And that mon ami is a "fact".
Speaking of facts, let’s talk about Operation Tempura, carried out by the best and brightest of your UK investigators – a complete and utter failure…and that’s putting it nicely. Or how about the fact that the present Commissioner publicly stated that approximately 15 people are responsible for the majority of the serious crime in the Cayman Islands – I imagine he’s having those words for breakfast right now. This is an island of 50,000 people, give or take a few – a little village really, yet…
Ha! I got to laugh!
I guess he will be talking about self-defense with his irrational belief that firearms in the home would lead to an increase of use by criminals as the presumption would be that everyone is armed. From his own lips he said, "we would see a fueling of homicides we have not seen before" – as if we don’t have already criminals here invading homes and pistol whipping the homeowners… lol… I don’t agree with his kind of reasoning…
Anywayz… he is the Commissioner so I will attend and listen to what he has to say, but I know he’s not foolin me
: -)
You can take your American model and your guns and safely store them where the 2nd Amendment doesn’t shine. More guns equals more gun deaths.
"more guns equal more deaths"….do you feel the same about "complacency"…..you should !
or are you more interested in the "storing" of things in uncomfortable places ?…..you shouldn’t !
With all due respect, expecting effective policing without arms (rather than ineefective policing we have now), does not constitute complacency.
"More complaceny is more death"
I know what I would like to see in the world, and I know I really only have control of what I put it…not what other do..(which is why u oppose guns…I guess)
The cops need the guns because criminals have them. Perhaps if we had more cops and citizens willing to fight crime with policy then the criminals would run out of bullets.
It’s easy to deny someone’s else reality when your not on the receiving end. Rationalize away the need for an equal or greater force..
Amen Brother!
I think you never had the experience where you were put in a situation where you could do nothing but look down a gun’s barrel of an accused who would lose nil in killing you in a split second. It is not a good feeling, you and your predator, and you have nothing in your hands to protect yourself. You are at his mercy! Or worse, suppose he has your daughter or wife… you have left them in the hand of a killing or rapist, and all you can do is watch. You who oppose people for defending themselves, never had that experience… so you can’t talk! I have had twice in my life a knife pulled at me… and are you telling me from my experience that I shouldn’t protect myself??? I am sure if after you had such a similar experience, you wouldn’t be so softy, naive and chicken sh%t.
You would see the value of your life and the lives of your love ones, and would right away have some kind of arm or security in place to defend yourself! You would not oppose homeowners or private citizens from defending themselves or arming themselves with firearms.
The CoP’s philosophy is not a realistic one!
I rest my case
Awe Diddums!
Don’t presume to know anything about me, XXXXXXX.
Pathetic.
If guns were more available you would have been looking at a gun rather than a knife.