CONTINUED COLLABORATION BETWEEN PUBLIC AND POLICE TO FURTHER SAFEGUARD RECENT SUCCESSES IN CRIME FIGHTING

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, April 24, 2019 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for the Crime Directorate, Mr. Andre Mitchell, said the sustained collaboration between members of the general public and law enforcement agencies can only result in the continued success in crime fighting across St. Kitts and Nevis.

“In St. Kitts, we are having a 42 percent decline in crime and in Nevis, we are at 21 percent. So we are doing pretty well and we continue to urge all concerned, all and sundry, to continue to give of your best as we continue to bring our country to a place where peace abounds,” ACP Mitchell stated recently.

Assistant Commissioner Mitchell was at the time speaking at a special Easter Monday (April 22) luncheon hosted by Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, for the recruits of Course No. 43 of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.

ACP Mitchell said that the country is currently witnessing significant reductions in major crimes, when compared to the same period last year.

“Presently with the situation of crime in St. Kitts and Nevis, we are at 423 reports [of crime]. At this time last year, there were 650 reports so we are looking at a 35 percent reduction in serious crimes. Equally, there is a substantial improvement in the rate of detection which stands right now at 42 percent,” ACP Mitchell said, while commending all those involved in ensuring these recent successes in the police force’s crime fighting strategy.

Major crimes include homicides, non-fatal shootings, other bodily harm offences, robberies, break-ins, sexual assaults, larceny, drugs offences (possession or importation), firearms and ammunition offences (possession, importation and smuggling), as well as threats to kill; malicious damage to property; fraud offences, and technology-related crimes.

At his most recent press conference on April 9, 2019, Prime Minister Harris revealed that the most significant decrease in major crimes occurred in Division A, which registered a 46 percent reduction compared with the same time period last year. Division B registered a 30 percent reduction compared with last year, while Division C, which is Nevis, registered a 21 percent reduction.