“This is One Vincy” sings our son of the soil, Skinny Fabulous. I felt great pride to hear this internationally acclaimed Vincentian use his platform to speak out against gang violence. Just when I thought that I could not be prouder, I saw the video in which he sings this power soca peace anthem from the communities most rocked by gun and gang violence in recent years.
Without a doubt, Skinny understood the assignment. He understood that an end to gang violence requires the community to participate and make it happen. The same cannot be said of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.
The Layou Neighbourhood Watch organised a friendly cricket match between a team they fielded and the police on Fisherman’s Day. Letters were sent off by the president of the Watch Group. Places were visited. Donations sought. It was to be a day of community and fun. Students of the Barrouallie Primary School Scout troupe were in attendance to participate in traditional games. Confirmation of the attendance of the police was received in writing.
Community members prepared food.
The auspicious hour came and went, and so did the children. The police did not show. When inquiries were made, the organisers were told that the police had no transportation to come to the park.
Furthermore, the police band that was supposed to provide entertainment stated that they played at Park the previous night and were tired.
A few police officers did find transportation to assist with getting the food to the playing field before the scheduled start.
Residents of Layou would tell of the speed with which the police would show up or how big the guns are, after a shooting. However, the vehicles that carry the gun-toting police to stamp out violence were nowhere to transport the police to engage with the community.
We cannot talk about gang and community violence or even of improving police relations with the community when this is the modus operandi.
Crime prevention requires a strategy and not just a show of force. Solving crime requires trust and not just occasional transportation. Dare I say, more crimes were solved when community policing and community policemen relied on their own God-given transportation, rather than the few made available by the government.
Police attitudes towards crime and community must change if our streets are to be made safer. This behaviour shows not just a lack of respect for the public but an ignorance of what their uniform and jobs mean.
To quote Skinny, “We under the same umbrella”. Fix it, Commissioner and Minister of National Security, because this behaviour is detrimental to improving the safety of our Vincentian communities.
Disappointed in RSVGPF
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