More Police On The Streets To Fight Crime
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
December 15, 2008 (CUOPM)
The manpower of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force will be increased by police officers being relieved of desk jobs that can be carried out by civilians.
“Just last week we have agreed that we need to increase the manpower, not so much in terms of recruitment of new people as that will take time, but redeploying trained police officers performing duties as immigration officers and clerks to the streets. These are going to be freed up immediately so that more trained police officers can be utilised not only to responding to crimes that are committed, but preventing crimes by patrolling on foot,” said Prime Minister Douglas in an interview Monday with the BBC Caribbean.
Dr. Douglass, who is also Minister of National Security, said the police will continue to perform joint tasks with members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force in foot and mobile patrols.
He said the registered strength of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force is 420, but only 380 posts are filled.
“We have been trying to recruit more local people, but most of our people prefer to go into other types of employment opportunities and so it is difficult to recruitment locals in the police force,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
He said St. Kitts and Nevis in recent times recruited nationals of Grenada, St. Lucia, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines into the local police force.
Dr. Douglas said parents, the church and the community must play a role in instilling basic virtues in the raising of the Federation’s children.
“The role of the church has to be reexamined. The community has to become alive and the family must continue to play the critical role that it needs to play in instilling the basic virtues in our children teaching right from wrong,” said Prime Minister Douglas.