Police Pushing Back
Recently residents of St. Kitts have noticed an upsurge of police activity in their communities. The Observer has gotten reports of police engaging in drug busts, residential and vehicle searches, surveillance exercises and even some undercover work.
To most resident this kind of policing is welcomed and encouraged, and, we probably need more of it.
However, at this time the police need to be commended for the hard work they are doing. About two weeks ago at a football game in Sandy Point an incident took place that surprised a lot of people who were in attendance. On one part of the field under a tree were group of about 15 young men hanging out.
Some were alleged to have been smoking marijuana and others were recognized as gang members. They were congregating in an area where they were not allowed.
Quickly and efficiently the police, with soldiers from the Defense Force, swooped down on them and rounded them up. Law enforcement officers had each young man pressed up against the wall and searched.
The young men, clearly not happy with how they were treated, complied. They had to comply. The law enforcement officers were decisive about their orders and held their ground. Clearly the young men were frightened.
After the search the young men were told to leave the area, which they did.
Without incident the law enforcement officers had done there job. And, it was a job well done.
Last week law enforcement officers made up of the SSU of the police force, the drug squad and the defense force went round the island, making various searches. They mostly searched in areas known for harboring individuals with illegal drugs. In these areas the law enforcement officers will quickly swoop in and conducted searches. If they found furniture and other personal items, those things will be removed and the individuals who were found in those areas were warned to keep from that area. Again all these searches were done quickly and efficiently with little or no inconvenience to law abiding citizen.
The Federation has indeed seen an increase in criminal activity with shootings and thefts. The criminal elements of our society almost seemed at one point to be the ones in control. The criminals were threatening to push the society into the gutter.
However, the police, the Defense Force and the Ministry of National Security decided to push back even harder.
Continue with this effort because there is still much more work to be done. We say continue the fight and push even harder, you have the full support of the grateful residents of the Federation.
