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Lower crime levels
3/9/2010
The level of reported crime in Barbados is lower than what it was twenty years ago and that is a fact.
That is according to Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin who assured the public that the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) is not “cooking the figures.” His comments came at the launch of the neighbourhood watch programme at Newbury Heights St. George on Sunday evening.
“When I say to people that the level of reported crime in our country is lower than it was 20 years ago they look at me in amazement. Some people cannot believe that it is true. Some people believe that we are cooking the figures,” said Commissioner Dottin.
“What happens is that there are times when you will get some particularly serious crimes that excite public opinion and [are] scattered across the newspapers so people feel a sense of dread when we get reports of those particularly serious crimes... but the reality is that reported crime in Barbados is actually lower than it was 20 years ago,” he continued.
The Police Commissioner said that despite a low crime rate there are still some difficulties, particularly due to a pervasive drug culture.
“Right through the region we are battling a pervasive drug culture and it is often that which spawns the violent crime, robberies, firearm crimes and what is most troublesome and troubling that it is this behaviour that causes conflict between various communities, particularly among young men and we are working hard in communities across Barbados to deal with violence and crime.”
According to Commissioner Dottin the issue of burglary is of concern and the public must do more to protect their property. This, he said, includes installing durable windows and not leaving them open, investing in good quality locks such as deadbolts for exterior doors, ensuring that doors are fairly solid and alarms and having dogs to help with surveillance.
He added that being good neighbours and neighbourhood watches help with the surveillance of neighbourhoods. He encouraged the residents of Newbury Heights to have community cohesiveness and be diligent in keeping the neighbourhood watch functioning.
Saying that there are many benefits to having neighbourhood watches, Commissioner Dottin also mentioned that as part of the RBPF’s 175th anniversary celebrations there will be a conference for neighbourhood watch groups. (AR)
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