Officers Recognized For Contributions On Friday 19th December 2008, in a short ceremony at Government House Basseterre, 16 Police Officers were awarded medals by His Excellency the Governor General Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, for long service and good conduct in the Royal St. Christopher-Nevis Police Force. The officers receiving medals each served the Police Force for at least 18 years of unbroken service, the average being 21 years. The ceremony was graced with the presence of the Minister of National Security Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, who made brief remarks, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Mrs. Astona Browne, The Commissioner of Police and other Gazetted Officers. Family members of the awardees also witnessed the event. Officers receiving medals were: Insp. Terrence James Insp. Lyndon David Sgt. Jerome Wattley-Benjamin W/Sgt. Jacqueline Browne W/Sgt. Diana Mills Sgt. Alphonso Smith Sgt. Charles Smithen Sgt. Eldrin Dickenson Sgt. Carl Caines Cpl. Lorenza Willaims Const. Avalon Anthony WPC Donaly Liburd-Chiverton WPC Alison Douglas WPC Gleneva Shaw Const. Lewis Welsh Const. John Bergan POLICE SHOT AND INJURED ATTACKER On Friday 19th December 2008, between 4 and 5:00 pm, Police executed a search warrant on the premises of Samuel Walters alias chicken at Herbert Street Newtown, for illegal drugs, arms and ammunition. Nothing illegal was found to satisfy the warrant, however, during the search 18 year old Gibson Blake ran from the house through a window with a hammer in his hand. The officers outside the house ordered him to stop. He continued running in the direction of the officers, and assaulted one of them with the hammer. As a result he was shot in an effort to prevent injury to the officer. He was taken to the JNF Hospital by the Emergency Medical Service, where he was treated and detained. POLICE REACH OUT WITH ANTI-CRIME TIPS “(Editor’s note: In recent weeks, the Royal St. Kitts and Nevis Police have been publishing a series of articles offering ways to help businesses and individuals avoid becoming victims of crime. The Observer supports this effort and we are publishing three of the pieces prepared by the police. In the near future, a page will be added to The Observer’s Web site that will carry these articles and others of a similar nature.) HOLIDAY SHOPPING CRIME PREVENTION TIPS 1. Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to who is around you and what activities are happening. 2. Do not leave the safety of the building or your vehicle until you are absolutely sure that it is safe and secure. 3. Always trust your instincts; an uncomfortable feeling about a place or person(s) means that you should get away. 4. Park in well-lit areas. 5. Always remember to lock your vehicle; whether you are inside or outside of the vehicle. 6. Minimize the number of valuables left in your car. Gifts, packages and electronics should be kept out of sight. 7. Protect your purse and wallet and avoid carrying large amounts of cash. 8. Do not burden yourself with packages while shopping and shop with a friend. 9. Have your keys out and ready when you are returning to your vehicle. TIPS TO PREVENT LOITERING Protecting your place of business from loitering requires a proactive approach. These guidelines are invaluable. Don’t allow loitering. Loitering simply means people hanging around your place of business, inside or outside, without buying anything. Loitering is a serious problem, if left unchecked, it can: ” Discourage customers from coming to your place of business. ” Lead to harassment and other problems. ” Create a bad image for your business. Take action against loitering. Remember the following: ” You may need to take action when you first observe a potential problem develop, don’t wait until a group gets larger or violence occurs. ” Be sure you have a good view of the parking lot, and keep it clean. ” Ensure that “no loitering” and “parking restriction” signs are posted. ” Politely speak to the person loitering, but never leave your business unattended to go outside. ” Never place yourself in an unsafe situation. Call the police, if the person continues loitering. APPROACHES TO COMBAT VIOLENCE Crime fighting requires a concerted effort that must include all stakeholders. And here are some approaches to quell the violence. -It’s time to stop the violence . . . that is killing our children and our communities. It’s time to help each other build neighborhoods where all can feel safe and secure from crime. -A tough task? Yes, but it’s a challenge that each of us can do something about. We can reclaim our communities child by child, family by family, and neighborhood by neighborhood. You can do a lot in your home, in your neighborhood, and throughout your community. -Why accept this challenge? Because every child deserves a safe and healthy childhood. Because no community can afford the costs of violence. Because a healthier, safer community benefits each of us. Because failing to act costs lives and resources. Because we should not have to raise our children amid violence. Because if we don’t stop it, no one will. – It is everyone’s business. – Violence holds victims, families, friends, and neighborhoods hostage. It rips communities apart or prevents them from coming together. Violence takes many forms. Assaults, rapes, robberies, and homicides are directly violent, but crimes like burglary are often cloaked in violence and cause sometimes-paralyzing fear. -Violence is not just about attacks by strangers. Assaults, robberies and child abuse are also acts of violence. -Weapons are part of the problem. They make violence more deadly and less personal. -But weapons are only part of the story. Attitudes, emotions, and reactions are just as important. Without working on all aspects of the issue, you can make only limited progress. -We should all go beyond protecting yourself and your family, because violence penetrates schools, workplaces, and public spaces. It sucks the life out of communities everywhere. -Can we stop violence? Yes. Strictly enforced policies against weapons can help to restore in a sense of calm. Conflict management courses teach how to fight less and negotiate more. Concerted community efforts can reduce or prevent gangs and the violence they bring. But these things can only happen when you decide to act. What you can do Work with your family, in your neighborhood, and in your community. Pick a place to start where you are comfortable. -Recognize that violence has many causes. Some are immediate a specific argument, easy availability of a weapon, a situation in which an aggressor thinks violence will bring quick rewards, an anger that sees no other outlet. Some are less direct for example, a community tolerance of high violence levels, reinforced by news and entertainment media. Some are individual inability to see another way to settle disagreements, for instance. Some involve situations such as peer pressure that measures or boosts self-esteem through violence. – No one needs to confront all these aspects of violence at once. The point is, there’s something everyone can do.
