Archive for December 20th, 2014
Former Cayman police commissioner dies aged 90
(CNS): Former Cayman Islands commissioner of police, Jim Stowers, has died aged 90. Stowers first came to Cayman in in 1976 for two years to train the police and returned in 1980 to serve as commissioner of police, a post he held for five years. During the royal visit in 1983 Queen Elizabeth presented him with the Queens' Police Medal for distinguished service. While he was commissioner, he was very active in policing drug trafficking and money laundering measures, presenting papers and lectures at Interpol conferences in Europe, the Caribbean and USA, including the FBI, according to the local media in Cornwall, where Stowers lived. He was described by friends as “an exceptional, special gentleman”. (Photo: Former Police Commissioner Jim Stowers, left, with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the Cayman Islands in 1983)
Stowers served on a river class frigate in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, both in the Atlantic and the invasion of Sicily, reports the Torquay Herald Express.
After learning the 48 letters of the Japanese morse code, he volunteered to join wireless intelligence, which took him to Burma and French Indo China. When he was demobilised, Jim joined the Merchant Navy for a time as a radio officer on the Cunard troopship Franconia for the evacuation from Palestine and India.
Stowers began his police career in Torquay and he served 18 years in the CID in South Devon, including a spell in Brixham. He rose through the ranks to become acting assistant chief constable for Devon and Cornwall.
After returning home from the Cayman Islands in 1985, he lectured at the Bramshill Police College and became a research fellow at the University of Exeter, and tutor on the MA degree course in police and criminal justice.
Between 1986 and 1989 he undertook two surveys covering 11 dependent and independent countries in the Caribbean as head of team on behalf on the British government.
Stowers married his late wife, Eileen, in 1947 and the couple went on to have two sons, Jim and John.
Stowers’ funeral will be held on Saturday at St Michael's Church, Teignmouth, at 11am.
Cruise passenger drowns snorkelling off 7MB
(CNS): A 35-year-old man from Michigan, USA, died while snorkelling off Seven Mile Beach Friday afternoon. Police said they received a call at about 3:20pm from Red Sail Sports stating a woman could not find her husband who had been snorkeling in the water off TikI Beach, on the West Bay Road. Staff from Red Sail Sports responded onjet skis and found the man unconscious in the water. CPR was conducted but he was unresponsive. He was taken by ambulance to the George Town hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The man and his wife along with their seven year old child were visiting aboard the Holland America. Police said the matter was now under investigation by officers from West Bay.
Drivers warned as Christmas lights draw crowds
(CNS): The police are asking drivers to be careful on the roads while families enjoy the Christmas lights on show around the island but particularly at the Bodden’s in South Sound and the Creighton’s in Spotts. Police said road signs are in place there to warn drivers about pedestrians are crossing the street near the Creighton property to visit the annual festive light show. Drivers travelling along South Church Street are also asked to use caution near the Bodden’s home and police are reminding pedestrians to look both ways before crossing the streets. Light clothing should also be worn at night and people should walk facing oncoming traffic. “Keep it safe this Christmas,” the RCIPS said.