Crime and Violence Dominate Discussions at Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police AGM

The Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP) has just concluded its annual general meeting in Belize, during which several commitments and decisions were taken.

Commissioner of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda Atlee Rodney, in a state media interview, says crime and violence were among several issues discussed at the May 13-17 meeting.

“We addressed the issue of violence and crime. We addressed how we will use technology in policing in the Caribbean”.

“We have received some opportunities from an MOU we have with the United Arab Emirates where some of our young officers will be given the opportunity to study in that part of the world”, the top cop added.

He stated further that each police commissioner had an “additional commitment” to ” work with each other.”

At that meeting, Rodney was re-elected as the president of the ACCP.

He expressed gratitude to his colleagues.

“I’m very humbled that my colleagues felt it necessary that I should continue some of the things that I have been doing for the association from last year. So, I am very thankful for the support that I have received.”

Meanwhile, the head of the police force assures the public that there will be an increased police presence as the country seeks to tackle the increase in criminal activities.

His comments came just days after a shooting at a G Spot nightclub on Independence Avenue left one man dead and another nursing a gunshot wound at the hospital.

“We are going into the most troublesome season of the year for us that is carnival. We think ahead and we take certain actions, obviously you not going to prevent every crime, which would have been ideal, but we not in a position to prevent every crime.”

We also want to take the criminals to task, we are not going to be complacent. The intelligence that we have about some of the operators, we will make them feel our presence because we are determined to keep Antigua safe,” he stated.

During the first four months of the year the country has recorded four homicides, 13 cases of armed robbery, 114 cases of wounding, 167 malicious damage, 286 breaking and larceny, 8 rape and 11 rape cases.