The murder of security guard Antonio Almendarez on San Pedro sparked outrage across the island, inspiring community, business and political leaders to declare a war on crime. But that "war-on-crime" has also taken on the discriminatory tone of a "war-on-non-San-Pedranos" - an approach which has sparked controversy. But Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby may have a solution that can give residents peace of mind, without encouraging them to resort to discriminatory or exclusionary practices. Commissioner Westby was on the island today to personally sanction the re-activation of the Special Constable programme. Here's the story with the assistance of our colleague Ron Sniffin from the San Pedro Sun.
Alfonso Noble Reporting, [alfnoble@yahoo.com]
Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby was at the police headquarters in San Pedro this morning where he made clear the position of the senior command: they will not allow San Pedro to become a roost for crime and he's personally addressing the problem. It's a problem, which he concedes began with poor leadership.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“I also recognized that we had a leadership problem in San Pedro upon
assuming command and I have since posted a very experienced police officer there in the person of Inspector Sabal. I have also upgraded the post of CIB to a Sergeant and Sergeant Myles will be assuming residence here and taking up posting in San Pedro effective tomorrow. I have also recognized the need for a ‘Scenes of Crime’ person on the spot so that they could do the work right away and that person has already took up residence there since last Thursday. And we have supplemented San Pedro with additional police.”
And while Westby says he's increasing the number of officers on the island and overhauling the leadership of his men and women on the ground, he adds that the island is reactivating the Special Constable Program.
Gerald Westby,
“We would want to get the community more engaged because we can never have all the police we want so we sat with them and we said to them that we would be prepared to re-institute the Special Constables Program, provided they assist us in paying the stipend for them and they were very much committed.
I recognized that there was a need for change of leadership and more experienced police officers and it all boils down to the leader of the pack and so I made the changes out in San Pedro and I am certain that things are coming back on stream with the new strategies I am implementing and working along with the community. The special constables increase visibility on the streets and I made an announcement today that we have solved the Fido security murder and we will be making an arrest in the next day or two. So we have been working very intensely, working along with the community, and thanks for their support.
The Special Constables program will go a long way in helping us to have more visibility and preventative patrols. Of course they will be coming directly under the command of the officer commanding, he will be coordinating along with the Town Council and the business community and so we will be working more closely with the San Pedro community. They will have the same authority of the ordinary constables and they will be under the command of the officers so he will more policemen. Thirteen more policemen are being trained starting today.”
One such trainee is Julio Tucker who today began his course to become one of 14 special constables who will be working alongside police officers to curb the problem of crime on the island.
Julio Tucker, Trainee
“Well the situation is that the crime is getting more worse and worse and we got to try and work as a community. I’d like to be a special constable to cooperate with the community.”
Similar Special Constable Programs are also being implemented in Placencia and Seine Bight.
