(SKNIS): Citizens and residents alike can expect to see more police presence in communities, said Ian Queeley, Commissioner of Police of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF), during the Commissioner’s first Lecture Series for 2017 and the RSCNPF New Year Celebration Service on Monday, January 09, at the NEMA Conference Room.
“In executing the strategy for 2017, having looked at the Six Point Plan and the Strategic Plan, we would be expecting to be more visible in the community, visible by means of foot and mobile patrol,” said Commissioner Queeley. “By means of community engagement, we will get out into the communities more and interact with the members of the community. We will go out and not only pass persons straight like some of us do, but [instead] stop and say hi, hello, [and ask] how are you doing?”
Commissioner Queeley said that community policing is of paramount importance and that he believes that a friendly approach can restore trust within the RSCNPF.
“It is very important that we do those community walk-through so that persons can see us,” he said. “When persons see the police, in most instances, [they] feel a sense of comfort, and that reassurance that we ought to give will start coming back. So communication with our constituents would be very key and we would be impressing upon that from the various directorate levels.”
The commissioner remains highly optimistic that through community policing and by putting the necessary strategies in place to combat crime, St. Kitts and Nevis will overcome the challenges that exist.
“We will overcome mainly because we have the will and the desire to make that we ensure St. Kitts and Nevis is a safer place,” said the commissioner, while noting that the Federation experienced one too many murders in 2016. “From that perspective, we have gotten significant regional and international attention, very unwanted I would say for a small country. We always have to remember that as a small nation we rely heavily on tourist dollar as our main foreign exchange earner and so an atmosphere of peace, tranquility and security is required if we are to foster and prosper in such an environment.”
Commissioner Queeley said that it is the RSCNPF’s hope to not have a repeat of 2016, as the institution will do all in its powers to ensure that the Federation does not get to that mark. This, he said, will be done through the balancing strategy of preventative and investigative policing.