Gunmen fire on cops in GT
(CNS): Updated Friday 3pm – Police have now arrested a second man in connection with a George Town shooting on Thursday evening. The 22-year-old man was arrested and detained by police following an operation in the early hours of Friday morning (12 April) in the capital on suspicion of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm. He joins a 29-year-old man arrested on suspicion of the same offences after shots were fired at officers following a car chase through Lakeside Condos in George Town. An RCIPS spokesperson said enquiries into the shooting continued Friday on the crime scene at the rear of Lakeside Condos as well as at a number of other locations in the George Town area.
The police were shot at around 8:15 last night, when officers in a marked vehicle were driving behind a Ford Explorer heading south on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. The Explorer suddenly drove offand sped into Lakeside Condos. The officers pursued the SUV, which then ploughed through a fence towards the rear of the property. As the four occupants bailed out of the car and ran off, shots were fired at the officers who were chasing the suspects onfoot, the RCIPS said.
None of the officers were injured and soon afterwards one man was arrested a short distance from Lakeside.
Three of the suspects are described as males dressed in dark clothing, while a fourth was described as a male wearing a white shirt and denim jeans pants.
Anyone who may have information in relation to the incident should call George Town police station on 949-4222, the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS).
Category: Crime
These are adults and they made their choices they chose to start shooting at the police officers, no one told them to do it. I grew up poor i know exactly what hunger feels like their were many time as a child growing up that our electricity was cut off because my parents were not able to pay on time. Going to school i was so envious of other kids and what their parents could afford for them.
Time does not hold still for anyone, as i got older i made the choice to excel in school i got a part-time job making $4.50 on a hourly rate while going to college at nights if i could do it so can they. The choices that i made paid off for me, because i worked hard to prove to myself that i was capable of doing it regardless of not having the things that i wanted as a child, heck i even went to school with my uniform all patched out and was bullied by it (by both students and their parents) man, some parents are no better than their kids and we wonder what went wrong.
the things that i have expressed, make no mistake my parents were the best to me, they took no foolishness from me and 99% they were on the teachers side. i grew up around drugs in my neighborhood, been hungry , listened to all sorts of music (reggage is just as bad as rap, always disrespecting women parts and what we are good for).
throughout all of this i have not once in my life tried drugs, steal or try to hurt someone. people need to stop placing the blame on expats-foreigners regardless of what you think that they are the ones that are teaching our young caymanians to do these crimes. These are the choices that they have made themselves, not the expats or the teachers, only them alone are responsible for their actions and i do not feel sorry for them. Thankfully the officers were safe.
Well so for mi na see no body a blame jamaica for this thank god lol
You all remember when Tru Tru said they were no gangs in the schools? Boy he must have had too much of that tax free milk…. Lol…..
Excuse me. What exactly does Permits have to do with criminals being suspected of somthing and when being aproached, act like criminals and run off and start shooting at police? What exactly is the connection please, please for the love of God, please explain the connection.? Shucks, its almost election, so its time to legalize Ganja, and cancel all the permits and close all the bars, that should solve all the problems, all locals will be working and living ever happy after and the criminals will all turn into christians and do as jesus would do., Did I miss somthing out?, Why do the same people keep giving excuses for this kind of behaviour? When the criminals robbed the big store, I stood and said nothing because I did not own the big store, when the next criminal family robbed the little old lady on the road, I stood back and did nothing since my old lady had already passed on. when the next criminals robbed the bank, I stood back and did nothing ,I did not have money in that bank. On my way home I got robbed and stabbed by my brethen, at that point I had no choice but to sit back in the hospital and say nothing since my family was un-protected, since my gun I had to throw out before ambulance pick me up.. So now my wife run off with a hard working guy and my kids love the step dad. Blame it all on the Expats and the Permit system. Only in the cayman islands can blame be turned to the same old blame game every single time. I get so sick of hearing the excuses. If it is a expat, belive me, you hear about it like bed time stories. if its a Caymanian, all goes silent, "poor kid" brought up by a single mother that has 10 other kids to feed and the permit holder working at the fast food place took her job that she so wanted and waited to do ever since she was a little girl. have some shame all of you that encourage this criminal activity out of intimidation. best to shut up than to condone these criminals.
"Denim jeans pants". How did they know what type of underwear he was wearing? This is not America. Trousers please.
Denims or jeans are trousers?
Legalize drugs, tax it and crime has ended.
Two hits of CRACK and you are addicted. Check your facts, please.
Nonsense.
Listen that’s crap you’ll are talking these are our same Caymanian’s, that are committing these of fences which it is sad but the truth is that there feel like there’s no more hope for them in cayman. Hence what do they do rob, steal or even worst kill, it’s easy to purchase any type of gun here on island from 22 to 45 to SIMM automatics AK’s you name it cayman has it even grenades. What we need to do is help the youth and stop talking and looking down on them, give them a helping hand and I don’t mean money give them JOBS and this would all stop. Note I’m not taking about paying them 5 or 7 dollars and hour up it to 10 or 12 you’ll would see the difference in cayman!
The problem there is that these young guys refuse to start work at a job that only pays $5-7 a hour. You have to start somewhere to get some work experience. I don't expect people to be able to support a family on that salary, but many young guys would rather sell dope and collect welfare than doing a job they think is beneath them. Get a job, any job, and things will get better. Work at KFC or at the checkout of Fosters and keep the job so when you apply for something bettter you will at least have some experience.
It is people with attitudes like yours that is going to send Cayman where we don’t want to go. You and your kind want to come here take the best from our lands give us the crumbs and when it is done you will just move on like you or your forefathers did in other countries. Let me tell you young people are saying different they say if they cannot make it at home then no one else who is not from here will. This is sad that our young people should find themselves so hopeless our politicians had better address this soon because if they continue to ignore it things will only get worst.
True, but that would first require them to have discipline, work-ethic and ambition ….
If you are serious you obviously have never tried to recruit in Cayman. I suggest you try finding a young Caymanian male who will show up for an interview and then when hired show up for work. While there may be a few exceptions generally the people committing these offenses do not want to actually have specified work hours or a job that requires any effort. Please quit making excuses for these losers as your attitude is part of the problem.
Entitlement through and through.
You're an idiot
So because someone does not agree with you makes them an idiot? You can pay someone 1$ or 100$ an hour or for the day, it makes no difference. Cayman does have an employability problem. This can be fixed by education. But your generation of entitlement is the root cause. Young and know it all, No education. No experience, and expecting more than 10$. You must be living in the Cayman Islands. You really thinking money grow on trees. Not to worry, we have a plan to give you passion for education. Get ready for a brain storm to come your way very soon. So young man or woman VOTE SMART CAYMAN. When we finish educating you and giving you so many skills, you will wonder how was it possible that you can call someone and idiot for not agree with your veiw. You gonna be in demand bo-bo. Comming to the Cayman islands very very soon.
Yeh, right and who is supposed to stump that money up?? Get real, the problem is the attitude, not the money and your own post is part of that attitude problem.. "we deserve it".
No one deserves anything these days, you earn it…crime is just an excuse for being lazy and not wanting to work…the jobs are there..just certain people feel it is below their station to do such manual work, but they dont have the brains to get the top jobs. Even then they think they should have the top jobs because they are too stupid to see that they can't do them..they just think about the money..which in itself is criminal and racist in my mind..
you can not stop the youth – especialy when they are hungry!
DO NOT START THIS CRAP THAT YOUTH OR ANYONE HAS TO ROB AND STEAL OR DO DRUGS OR SHOOT AT POLICE OR ANYTHING AS EXCUSES.
BULL CRAP. People like you is what has this place "gone to the dogs". Hungry people steal food in worse case,. mothers that need baby milk , beg for milk in worse cases. Idiots and Punks and Scums think about themselves and encourage this stupidity. We have certain criminals and they will never change, from father to mother and generations to generations. The lucky ones break the cycle and get a job, support there wife and kids and make this place a better place. If you think that being hungry is an excuse then you better go back to prison and get fed what you want and when you want. Poor bunkey excuse that youth need to rob and steal and stay home at 30 ratid years,30 rass years and still being called youths? still talking bout "mama I hungry" with your pants down past your butt, as if you begging someone to take a crap shot at you. Grow the heck up and like the saying goes "GET A JOB". Ohhh this is now the part you going to blame the Expats for doing the BK and shelf packing jobs and the dishwasher and all the jobs that your so called youth are ashamed to do. Any job that this youths will be seen by there freinds they will not do. Any one can do most jobs, but do you think a restaurant with a dishwasher on attitude is productive,? or show up when feel like? or cant go in the front to help clean a table, because they know someon at one of the tables and will get embarassed. Well Bo-Bo, stay the ratid home and leave hard working law abidding citizens alone, Let yo mama continue to be scared of you while you threaten her that if she dont feed you you will continue crime with all the stolen goods pile up in mama house.
I REPEAT DO NOT START THIS CRAP THAT YOUTH OR ANYONE HAS TO ROB AND STEAL OR DO DRUGS OR SHOOT AT POLICE OR ANYTHING AS EXCUSES.
THIS IS THE BULL CRAP THAT POLITICIANS FEED ON THEY ARE LIKE VOLTURES WITH THIS KIND OF PERSONS THEY LOVE THEM. GOOD TO USE AND BLAME THE EXPATS AND HOW STEALING IS THE OPTION. BLAME BLAME BLAME.
Let it continue and very soon people like you will be seeking some where else to run to unfortunately you will not find the natives of Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, TCI and Monserrat anything like the passive Caymanians that you came here 30 years ago and found.
Hungry to show off to girls and see how many babies they can have? If they were hungry-hungry there wouldn’t be do many chickens running around here.
Nice to see some good debate / comments on here about this story instead of the usual drivel. There is hope, thankyou.
Its a good thing that the Officers in question were not armed so as not to provoke the criminals into………… Oh Wait!! Will it take an officer to be shot before the powers that be realise how ignorant and stupid that argument is? The criminals already have guns…….its only the police that dont in Cayman!!!
yet another incident because strata management lets people use this area as an illegal access point to eastern ave/courts rd. …..
what the hell has strata/lakeside got to do with it, they were being chased from the esterly tibbetts highway and drove through the property and through a damn fence!!!!!
because they knew it is an easy illegal access point thatstrata management turns a blind eye too….
There is a fence up!!!!! They drove THROUGH the fence! Nothing to do with Strata, how are they to stop that?
because strat amangement let people use the gap in the fence as an access point….. thats why the crooks went to that location….
strata mangement's failure to secure the development in that area has now lead to robberies, vandalism, stabbings and shootings……all in the same area…..
i bet their windows were illegally tinted…….
Ganstas or Police? or both
Kudos to the cops on the beat. But I got to ask a silly question, how come the criminals have sooooo many guns? I thought after beefing up customs, new boats, helicopter and millions of dollars on new equipments, the guns are here more than ever! Can some one enlighten me?
What a bunch of absolute idiots these would be ganstas are. Couldn't have the IQ of grapefruit between them all.
Let's not lose perspective folks… Kudos to these police officers who risked their lives in the line of duty. Unfortunately, there are still too many police officers who are far too incompetent, disinterested, lazy, possibly corrupt, and just there to collect a paycheque.
Yes…some colleagues suffered a knife point home invasion this week…RCIPS useless…took the victims to find the weapon…
hear ye. Thats the raw truth
It is sad to say but some of Caymans youth have been lost forever. With the influence of North American gangster rap, media and magazines, our youth idiolize the culture that is often portrayed in this medium.
It has affected many families in Cayman, affluent and poor alike when the children have been let to believe that the "gangster" way of life is the best way. What has happened in society that has taken us along this path of social ills stems back to the 80's when gangs were planting their roots in the schools and was ignored, in the typical Ostrich fashion that we are all too familiar with.
We will continue to breed such characters of low values and criminal mindset until we reach the point of no return, unless we as a society stand up and no longer tolerate crime by making the necessary reports to the relevant authorities. We are our brothers keepers, but we all have a moral obligation to society to stand for what is right. We will turn in our brothers, fathers, cousins, friends to rid Cayman of the scourge that has been created.
This is the Cayman my children have to grow up in, which is not the one I grew up in and it sickens me. There are places in Cayman where I simply no longer go because of the creatures amongst us. By creatures, do not bring race or color into my statement. It becomes a class mentality.
I could speak more of my mind, but I have a job, and prefer to work for an honest living, so I will close this out as I am at my place of work now.
It's the adult parents and mentors that have failed these kids. There are various over-hyped theses from rap music, inavailability of schooling, to the glamourous appeal of gangster living; but we all know it's the decades of formative parental neglect and likely the natural adoption of the familial attitudes (or trade) which are the major root causes. The apples never fall far from the tree. The desire to rebel and feel relevent is common in all adolescents all around the world, but obviously not all adolescents become gangsters. Many of ours opt to be recruited into gangs merely to escape the boredom and abuse of their home situation – whether real or imaginary. It's not a secret that parents need to be involved in their child's choices and friendships from a young age and stay in touch as a mentor and friend as they become young adults. If their parent's priorities are going to the bar or beating the family dog, then society will be hearing from their forgotten kid.
I am a teacher. Most of these problem adults were problems from the age of 5-10. It is not politically correct to say so but most of them are for parents who also were massive problems in the school system. I could give you family names of students who have been problems in the schools for the last 30 years and we are seeing their offspring in the criminal system now but that would not be allowed. And by the way, they are born Caymanians. Not to say, of course, that we dont have any foreign crime here but, take it from me,most of these guys are our own Caymanians.
30 years ago when criminality was being bred in the off-springs, can somone enlighten us, as to who was overseeing the education system?
I can remember when Tru Tru was Minister of Education he said, that there were no gangs in the schools. I guess, he thought it was only the poorer class who would be gangsters and none of the elites would fall prey to such intolerable behaviour. He has been proven wrong and should comment on his denial in the past.
… you'all kind a got it wrong… they were on the way to ROB one of us, who are not legally allowed to protect our selves… we are told we must call the Police!… after we are robbed… so they can start an investigation, while they have self protection (Tazers and M16's to do a traffic License sticker check) AND ask if … anyone seen a "male in a white T-Shirt and Jeans"!!!… crime still not solved…but the "real criminals" those going 5 mph over the speed limit are prosecuted immediately or a warrant for you immediate arrest is issued… how about considering letting the "law abiding citizens" protect themselves… that way the criminals would then know, …it may not be a "walk in the park" to have the upper hand ( a gun ) when they think about visiting us to do a robbery or worse… jus my 2 cents…
A District Attorney in Texas was killed in his own home days after he purchased firearms to protect himself. Having a firearm is only good if you have it on you at all times and you are treating everyone as suspect. Otherwise, you are just as vulnerable as you were when you never had a firearm.
Research conducted by Professors James Wright and Peter Rossi,6 for a landmark study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, points to the armed citizen as possibly the most effective deterrent to crime in the nation. Wright and Rossi questioned over 1,800 felons serving time in prisons across the nation and found:
Professor Kleck estimates that annually 1,500-2,800 felons are legally killed in "excusable self-defense" or "justifiable" shootings by civilians, and 8,000-16,000 criminals are wounded. This compares to 300-600 justifiable homicides by police. Yet, in most instances, civilians used a firearm to threaten, apprehend, shoot at a criminal, or to fire a warning shot without injuring anyone.
Based on his extensive independent survey research, Kleck estimates that each year Americans use guns for protection from criminals more than 2.5 million times annually. 7 U.S. Department of Justice victimization surveys show that protective use of a gun lessens the chance that robberies, rapes, and assaults will be successfully completed while also reducing the likelihood of victim injury. Clearly, criminals fear armed citizens.
Because my friend you live in a tax neutral country….which means that your police force can be more effective as a way of raising revenue through seat belt/speeding fines than actually doing any proper policing ……
What do you want tax or a better police force? Just askin….
Don’t get me wrong,, I know what the real answer it was a rhetorical question…
We pay plenty of tax. It is an indirect consumpation tax in the form of import duty, mostly 22% on cost of goods and shipping. Not to mention fuel tax for our vehicles and our electricity. In contrast to the US where roughly 40% of the population pays no federal income tax. Hence we are not a tax neutral country.
Reading your e-mail would suggest that you think the police did a bad job?
I think they did an amazing job, they potentially stopped a more serious offence and protected the public, nearly taking a bullet for their trouble.
WTH tax revenue has todo with this is beyond me. The police are funded by Govt, they raise revenue through import duty etc. What does it matter where the funding comes from?
Police forces worldwide enforce traffic laws which result in fines. Tax is not the issue here.
Why did we ever armed the police in the first place? Was that really necessary? When these criminals see police armed many more now will arm themselves. For this, I can see myself blaming the Commissioner of Police. Because when he first came here he was all about talking to the youth and crime prevention… somehow I believe he has dropped the ball on the "power of persuasion" and has taken a force-you-to-comply-approach on these criminals. Now we are seeing the results: Police officers at more risk in getting themselves assaulted or even kill. Saying: you don't fight fire with fire. Because logically if you take that hardcore approach especially with youngsters in the drug market, they will feel more justified to carry arms as well, seeing the officers can do so, inflict pain, and get away with it. Crime will just spiral out of control. I don't understand. The Commissioner of Police use to preach a similar doctrine. Now it seems like he has compromised his views. He has made the "power of persuasion" look like a weak approach or ineffective approach.
Arming police had nothing to do with it…the pathetic wanna-be gangsta's started arming themselves to keep up with each other…not to keep up with the police.
The root of this behavior was indeed learned, but the lesson was laziness and easy money. They do not have to look to american tv to see corruption making people rich. They learned exploitation of other humans not from Roots but from the indentured nature of our work permit regulations which bond a person to an employer instead of industry. They didn't have to look abroad to see people making fortunes being silent uninvested majority owners of a multitude of local businesses. And of course there is the Cayman social security program which is called Civil Service and Cayman Airways…free money without requiring effort or the stigmatism of being on welfare.
When I was a Civil Servant, I earn my keep. Hard work, dedication, honesty, and integrity, was what came foremost in our minds and we all work together for the common good of these islands/government.
Corruption captured the hearts and souls of those who put themselves first, to put forward projects and set up their companies to supply furniture and equipment to get the lions share for themselves. Some of those politicians that are always writing crap about others are the leaders and beginners of corruption.
Really? And turn which other cheeks?
Look at this serious crime. And to think the Police is caught up with sandwich and chicken wings. Can you imagine if there was a political meeting and police were there busy checking on sandwiches and chicken wings? Only God knows what wold have happened. Leave thos ethings to the electoral office man.
What was in the van that made them so jumpy?
ummm, I'm gonna say guns..but I'm no detective…
4 sad idiots
Since they approve officers to go around with tazers and these officers flaunt around with the guns like they are on top of the world, they are being targetted it seems. We see what happened in East End to one officer struck on the head. What do you do? Fight this sort of violence with more fire power?
Criminals are in charge because they carry the most powerful weapons…arm the police to shoot anyone armed who tries to shoot them and evade them! How in the h$LL can the police catch a gun-toting criminal with a taser…a taser is a one-on-one weapon to control people who cannot be subdued by hands. Go ahead and let the 'criminals rule the world' afraid that someone might get killed if the Police have guns???!!! Please think out of the box and with some logic and common sense, those who hold the key to this unlocked door of equal/human rights! Arm business owners too and bank/all business security guards. Kill the criminals (they won't breed anymore seed if the root is killed) instead of risking Police's and other innocent peoples' lives being taken away!
I told you if you ARM the Police, the Criminals will ARM themselves. And if you use the tasers on them, what you think the Criminals will do??? We warned you about this psychology of Criminals yet you fell for the crowd which were yelling to arm the Police!
I don’t remember you saying that
Do you live with your head buried in the sand?
The Police are armed BECAUSE the criminals are armed, and NOT vv.
It is this 'bleeding-heart' soft approach to Discipline, Law and Order that has led us, and indeed most of this planet, down the path of uncontrollable, rising crime.
It takes a show of Strength and Force to control crime and maintain Law & Order, just the same as raising children in a disciplined household …. just look at what has become of our children.
We need to ditch the 'Soft' UK approach and adopt a Tougher approach like Singapore.
We have to be grateful for the Police, remember when everyone one else gets out of the way of a gunman, they step forward to put themselves between the public and the gunman, and then go after them. I know that is what we expect and they are paid to do, but we as the public should never, ever take it for granted. It is the same the world over, but RESPECT
Coming to an island near you, gated communities behind razor wire and armed guards.
Sad.
Why do you continue to copy and paste this same message on every news article on cns. Give it a rest
Probably because he’s sick of seeing crack houses every day.
About time certain places in WB on way to Turtle farm got raided by armed officers…if everyone in WB knows where these dealers are and it is pretty obvious just from looking at it, who is protecting them?? I am sure a lot of issues would disappear if those places did…
You just described the Dart residence for the last decade and a half or so.
Already here…….
Absolutely. We really do need some quite nice ones built, although I was thinking that the new DART houses were looking quite a promising place to live.
This is what you call taking a "TAZER to a GUNFIGHT".
Does the Police Commissionor agree with me.
The police should be able to shoot these scum bags without having to worry about losing their jobs or being suspended from their post. I believe and I am sure many will agree, that it is better to get rid of a few bad apples than to let hundreds of innocent people suffer. someone mentioned more gated communities in cayman, but that alone will not do it either….
I agree. I'd want a gated community with razor wire PLUS US military quality armed guards patrolling the grounds with orders and authorization to blow the heads clean off any of these scumbags who manage to scale the fences. That would be a good start. Concealed carry would be helpful as well, since the very large population of criminals in Cayman already carry concealed handguns. Since they've got guns I should have one too, so that I can defend myself.
You want gated communities and arm guards I would suggest that you return to whence you came from.
I agree, a pine box is far cheaper than a trial!
We will see if your attitude reamains the same when one of these "Scumbags" turns out to be your child who is hit by a stray bullet because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time…the police are highly controlled in their application of force for a reason. You want to see what happens when the police are given free reign to shoot whomever, wherever and whenever they feel like without regard to consequences…visit Jamaica…
I have worked in many levels of law enforcement in many jurisdictions. Some had the attitude of kill them all let God sort them out, some had the attitude of injure don’t kill and only if you are about to go down and some had an attitude of a balance trusting the judgement of the one carrying the badge and weapon. I have had deadly force used against me and bear the scars. I have had to use deadly force too often and I have to live with that. One thing I know before Iwas ever issued my first weapon my training was extensive, exhaustive and ongoing for over 20 years and the psychological testing and ongoing testing was also intense. Never once did I carry my weapon without being acutely aware of the responsibility and consequences. I have had to knock on the door of loved ones and tell them their family member is now deceased because of the use of weapons both as the one using it and or responding to a call where one was used. I have never forgot the faces of those I had to speak to or look at when I testified in court. With all of that I do not have an answer except to say that it all begins with the raising of that child and parental responsibility and extended family responsibility and community involvement where citizens report and a police force does not take a casual response to any report. I am not in favor of all citizens being armed as all citizens are not capable of the responsibility involved having said that neither are many of the officers I see. I am not sure what my point is but I do know until you have walked tithe path of using deadly force seems so simple and easy whatever your viewpoint when in fact it is so much more complicated.
I enjoyed reading your insight. If we could just have a police force made up of lots of you, that would be great. Thank you for your input.
Immigration needs to crack down on the ” work permit with out a job” problem. To many people on island that should not be here, business’s are failing daily because of these people selling from cars etc etc. and now this. Pure luck that no one was killed. Until RCIP enforces law in this country we will never move on.
How do you know these are work permit holders? Why are expats always getting the blame for crime? Look in Northward over 90% caymanians, look at the gang shooting 100% caymanian, look at the gun crime, all young caymanians.
As a caymanian myself, the problem lies in the,roots of our youth, they are lazy and think it is cool to be a wanna be gangster, look at one of the crimes that took place,in the last few months, one of the suspects comes from a great and wealthy family, but just wants to be cool and the man. What can we do with these wanna bees, not to much unfortunately but just right them off, they are not going to change and I speak from experience.
What can we do, we can bring the belt back to school, allow our teachers to do their jobs without running complaining about them when they say something wrong to our child. If my child does something wrong, even if he cheats in class, bring out the belt and give him a good wippin… When he gets home, he’s gonna get another one. That’s what I say. Oh but know our caymanian kids aren’t bad, my child isn’t bad, the police frame him everytime he is arrested, WTH, that’s the attitudes of parents today and we wonder why we have crime.
There are many young youth who are extremely polite and well behaved.
Lastly, the police should be allowed to carry firearms, oh and guess what it is notmupmto the commissioner who carries or not, the policy can be changed by Mr. E Bush, Manderson and or HE the Gov.
true, but you need to stop pointing the finger – crime is also being committed by our own!
How do you know that these people do not have the right to be here? Have a look at some of the individuals that have been apprehended recently…
Firstly, let me state that I agree with you 100% on enforcing the Immigration Laws of this island, which states that (given a reasonable period of time & taking circumstance and other mittigating factors into consideration), persons who's Immigration status on these islands is dependent upon employment on a valid Work Permit cannot remain here unless they are gainfully employed.
The problem is that so many of these 'Unemployed Permit holders' are here as a DIRECT RESULT of corrupt Immigration Officers!
This IS a major problem and a significant contributor to the very high levels of theft & burglary that we have been experiencing over the last few years.
However, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT is not the role of the RCIPS.
I also agree 100% about all these road-side HIGGLERS that we have allowed to crop-up all over the place, dis-enfranchising legitimate, Tax-paying, business-owners that must pay Government Annual returns, Trade & Business Licensing fees, Work Permit fees, Import Duties, Pension, Health, etc, etc, etc, while these "Fly-by-night" operators are allowed to set-up & sell their wares on any sidewalk or parking lot.
I am involved in the construction industry, and I am BAFFLED as to how so many UNLICENSED "Caterers" are on construction sites everyday selling Food and ALCOHOL out of the back of their vehicles, none of who are Caymanian, and some who boast at how much they make plying an illegal trade which should be reserved for Caymanians only.
This Jamaican Higgler mentality needs to be stamped-out NOW. Where is the voice of the Chamber of Commerce?
The majority of crime (statistically) here is being committed by Caymanians, particularly young Caymanians. We make up almost 80% of the prison population. Additionally, almost every gun-related crime in these islands has involved this young Caymanian demographic.
I do agree that the RCIPS can very easily make major in-roads in reducing the high (yes, statistically they are VERY HIGH) level of crime that we have been suffering under since late 2004, but that will require a major shake-up throughout the entire RCIPS, starting with the Commisioner.
Law and order can only be restored through a zero-tolerance approach to ALL crime, especially the 'little' ones.
When people get away with breaking the Minor Laws, they very soon begin to disregard the Major Laws.
Actually, immigrationenforcement is a role of the RCIP. No immigration offence can happen without a fraud on a government agency, itself a criminal act. In any event, the police are charged with enforcing all laws that result in criminal offences. Immigration of fences are criminal.
Okay genius, so what are the immigration enforcement team there for. RCIPS DO NOT deal with immigration offences. That is A FACT!
They didn’t deal with corrupt politicians for many years either. That does not mean they should not have.
Caymanian,Jamaican, Phillipono, Honduran whatever…. I would like to state that every British expat I know on island knows and abides by the Imigration law, ie no permit no stay, no jobs no stay etc etc so whey XXXX doesn't eveyone else??
Nice one Dick ….. totally agree about the Cayman home grown problem. A few people will be eating their words in the coming months and running out of people to blame.
Bear in mind that being Caymanian is first and foremost an immigration status, not a nationality. In fact, it cannot by definition be a nationality. It may be true that 80% of prisoners have Caymanian Status, but that does not mean that no more than 20% are expatriates. This is particularly since conviction can (and in many cases should) result in a revocation of status. The fact is that a substantial percentage of prisoners are Jamaicans, and Hondurans, and Americans and Canadians and British – as well as a substantial proportion who are BOTC Citizens of the Cayman Islands – AND have status. Those who have status but generally not those in that last category, are deportable (subject first to revocation of status). Therefore it is not as easy as the majority here seem to believe. The sentiment expressed by some is probably best chgaracterised by a plea from many in Cayman to remove the scum from our population. If they are indeed home grown Caymanians (and probably most are) then we have to deal with it ourselves – but a substantial number are not "home grown" and have permissions thgat were notionally provided to them frequently in breach of our laws (whether intentionally or otherwise), and who otherwise ought to have their permissions stripped of them as provided for in our legislation.
That this is not happening is part of the outrage.
@ Richard Wadd @ 10:45, 12/4/13 You know what happen to you richard wadd? You see yourself as part of the elite in society and you look down on the poor trying caymanians with disdane . They should not try to pull themselves up by their boot straps, if they can't find employment. They must starve. They must disappear from society no? Would you like to lock them up and thow away the keys? and pretend that every one in Cayman is rich? So as to save you the embarassment?That was what was happening in Cayman in the 1980s. You all pretended that Cayman was a rich country, when in fact some people were living squalor while people like you looked down your noses at the poor here, and in other countries in the reigon, but guess what? reality is here now. We don't have 550 banks anymore and the money dont come here in suit cases anymore. The great recession of 2008 is still here. You would deny a business licence to a roadside vendor, would you? The tourist love the jelly coconuts at the terminals. They get this when they visit other caribbean countries.The Jelly man and the caterers on the building sites are servicing a part of the economy. Deal with the reality today!!. If you all don't deal with small people, they will come back to haunt you . Thats why you see uprising and riots in some countries. Because these people are not given the opportunities to start some kind of small enterprises to help themselves when they cannot find employment. And don't blame it on foreigners either because the stastistics show that most of the crimes are perpetrated, not by foregners but our own youths. Don't hide your head in the sand like the ostrich. Furthermore, fix Immigration and Labour laws to benefit t he local people. Don't employ foreignes because they will work for cheap wages to make the business classes like you fatter, then you come to blame the foreigners. Also tackle the prooblems of school leavers withou,t or with limited academic abilities, by providing them with skills training according to their potentials. Stop finding a scape goat to blame for crimes in the Islands.
Firstly, how do you know these people are not Caymanian / status holders / etc etc?
Secondly, 'too many people on island that should not be here'. What does that have to do with the RCIPS. This is an immigration dept issue and one that I am not convinced is relevant (refer to point 1!).
Good job by the RCIPS officers, if these guys were driving round with a gun and so pumped up that they were prepared to use it against law enforcement, just imagine what kind of crime they were about to commit if the police weren't there.
Lots of negative comments on this site about the police, I think it's time we showed more support and appreciated that they have a tough job and their bravery and commitment deserves respect.
I wonder how many of the suspects are on work permits without a job? Maybe we need to crack down on the absentee parents without responsibility for their kids who are too busy chasing liquor, parties and each other's spouses first?
Out of interest, where is it said that the gunmen were foreigners, either with or without a work permit?
Actually, there is an excellent prospect that at least some of them are, although they may have been granted status (which can and should be revoked in these circumstances).
As long as at the same time they crack down on "Caymanians without a conscience". It's not safe to assume these are expats (and it's not safe to exclude them either). Of course, with the Cayman leadership being as corrupt as it is, why would anyone expect the citizenry not to follow into corruption and crime. The corrupt elect the corrupt who then lead into further corruption, and it goes full circle. If anyone were in a position to stop this (Governor), they don't seem to care.
I hate to tell you but the majority of the crimes happening in Cayman (gun crimes) are ALL CAYMANIANS!!! Just to see who is sitting in Hotel Northward, oh sorry Northward Prison…..you shoot at me that is attempted murder, I will shoot back!! As far as your children being out and hit by a stray bullet, then I suggest you be a better parent and keep a better eye on your children
The word out on the street is that it was a group of disgruntled British Lawyers and an American Accountant that is responsible.
This won't go down so smoothly with the Swiss watch makers as they were on their turf.
Why we let all this s..t through immigration I do not know!
Wild Wild West..
it happened in george town …..get your facts straight!
Actually it was GT this time. Not Wild Wild West Bay.
Thanks and congrats to the brave Police team. Keep up the great work – if it were not for you crime would be a lot worse – any new Government should focus strongly on strengthening and enhancing the police force.. I know we as a society like to say that it’s because the economy is having difficult times that crime is more prevalent and I agree there is some connection.. But I also feel that bad people will look to commit crime regardless of the economy.. They must be stopped at all costs as it is as important as anything else is to all the people of Cayman.
Who says crime is more prevalent? We have less crimes. Less murders. Less serious crimes. One serious crime does not a crime wave make. Stick to the facts, please.
Let's have the newGovernment start by transferring the $6M "Nation Building Fund" to the RCIPS budget
Not a bad idea 13.20, just that it would need to be carefully directed to enhance the right areas.
RCIPS in general do a good job. However with regard to burglaries and home invasions their reputation is useless and from what I see deservedley so. Traffic policing, virtually non existent. Generally this is what the public sees most of and wants action on.
A better trained and more pro-active attitude in these places could change a lot of opinions. In some areas of RCIPS I suspect some corruption goes on, too many things obvious to everyone and little done about it. Starting at the top XXX and drilling down is a good start..now start drilling from the bottom up.
really the RCIPS should be doing a good job all other sections of Government are on a tight leach with staffing cuts except them.
But I do agree you should take that money and put it where it can help. That amount and a sizable amount from the Social Services.
First the yob throws and hits an officer in East End and now shots fired at officers, perhaps law and order will become a candidate topic.
This should not come as a surprise to anyone.
People everywhere like to complain about police, but when stuff like this happens, you realize how brave these men and women are, Glad no one was hurt.
It's time the police get full public support. Being fired upon, and putting their lives at risk will require a special dedication to the job. The RCIPS and special constables are their to protect a small island of mostly honest and hard working peoples – local and expat. Serious violence demands severe punishment.
You know something though; give the police training and the right to shoot in situations such as this (equip all armed officers and vehicles with video surveillance if needs be), wait for the first report of “Man killed after shooting at police vehicle” or “Man killed when fleeing scene of armed robbery” and see what our crime statistics look like. Why do they have rights and we as law abiding, tax paying individuals have to live on a hope and a prayer, wondering if today is the day some cracked up, useless excuse for a man is going to break into our homes or cars or attack us when we are out for a walk? You give the criminals carte blanche and expect them to act like decent human beings? Oh please!
It's also time the police get special training to put some hot lead down range at these scum. Why the police can't carry in this jurisdiction is beyond me. After all, this little outpost sits next to one of the most violent countries in the Caribbean.
Too many drifters walking, riding, driving and peeping here and there. No work, unemployed, permit holders catch a flight, police monitor the locals, who are known to be under the law. It is sad that some of the scum bags will resort to this type of behaviour, but they are lucky to be living in the Cayman Islands, otherwise they would've long been statistics.
It is good thatr the police were vigilant and used there common sense, but the breakdown comes when they appear in Court. Not so sure that they are not going to be above the law. We need laws with teeth. Make an example of one and it would be a deterrent for others.