Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 23, 2013 (SKNIS): Governor General His Excellency Sir Edmund Lawrence KCMG, OBE was updated on crime fighting efforts and tactics, used by the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the recent successes, during a meeting with the Policy Advisory Group on Monday (April 22).
The Policy Advisory Group, which consists of the High Command, Gazetted officers and Heads of Departments in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, welcomed His Excellency noting that it marks the first time a head of state joined them in such a capacity.
Commissioner of Police Celvin G. Walwyn highlighted the many successes the Force has enjoyed over the past year, which led to a 53 percent drop in crime when compared to statistics from 2011. He added that figures for the first quarter of 2013 reveal an additional 30 percent decrease in crime compared to statistics in the same period 2012. The Commissioner explained that much of the results are due to the work done by the men and women in specialized units.
“We have a Violent Crimes Unit which was created with the help of the United Sates Government,” he said. “They invested approximately US $90,000.00 last year in the training of the Violent Crimes Unit and there is another US $100,000.00 that’s about to be spent to help improve our Forensics Unit.”
Commissioner Walwyn credited the increase in court convictions to the forensic team headed by UVSI retired officer Lieutenant Ancil Alexander. He also revealed that crime has fallen some 30 percent in March 2013 when compared to the same period in 2012.
His Excellency the Governor General noted his appreciation for the sacrifices made by law enforcement members and expressed confidence in the High Command and the action plans produced by such committees.
“The Force is in good hands and [is] being taken in the right direction,” Sir Edmund emphasized. “All of us, as citizens, can sleep more soundly and walk more freely and sit in our homes more comfortably at day and at night because of the serious and committed and productive manner in which the Force now goes about its business.”
Sir Edmund also inspected four newly donated motorcycles, as well as the new Firearms Training Simulator system.