By Ricardo Wells
THE senior command of the Royal Bahamas Police Force took to several major shopping hubs around New Providence yesterday reviving an old tradition in hopes of reassuring the public this holiday season.
Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson, who along with other officers visited downtown Nassau, the Marathon Mall and several stores at the Southwest Shopping Plaza, insisted the force thought it necessary to usher in the Christmas season with a strong police presence.
Explaining the crux of the RBPF’s approach yesterday, he explained: “This is really, in years gone by, a tradition for the commissioner and his executive team to come down Bay Street to really see how the officers are doing, to assess how the shopping is going on, on Bay Street and as a team we determined that we ought to return to some of those traditions.”
Commissioner Ferguson added: “And today, that is what it is all about.”
Moreover, he said the RBPF’s senior command wanted to assure the officers working the Bay Street beat on a day-to-day basis that they had the full support of their superiors.
“As you can see, a number of them are strategically placed here on Bay Street and as you move about you see hundreds of tourists and Bahamians shopping on Bay Street; it really makes you feel like Christmas is coming.”
Yesterday’s tour was a welcome surprise to the hundreds of tourists and locals who traversed the Bay Street corridor. Officers were met with all sorts of compliments and embraces.
Particularly, operators of many of the stores presented themselves to the officers and provided them with detailed briefs on trends and recent occurrences in the area, in some cases pointing out flaws that needed to be addressed in the days ahead.
To this, Commissioner Ferguson contended the outcome was expected and welcomed.
Following their tour of the downtown area, the unit then moved on to the Mall at Marathon where shoppers also applauded their visibility.
“Bahamians really like Christmas and they are going to spend money. And so, it is important for the police to provide the necessary security for them,” was how Commissioner Ferguson summed up his experience at the shopping centre.
The unit concluded the tour Thursday at the Southwest Shopping Plaza where officers were again greeted with smiles and admiration.
Despite attempts by reporters to gain insight on the commissioner’s new crime plan, RBPF officials remained tight-lipped Thursday, rebuffing questions on the topic several times.
On Tuesday, Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), warned business owners and shoppers carrying large sums of cash to be alert of their surroundings.
The declaration came on the heels of a shocking robbery of West Bay Street hotel.
CSP Cash stated at the time: “Secure your valuables. If you look at armed robbery figures, the incidents are down but we always have more incidents during the holiday season. So always anticipate and always be alert because there are people moving around just looking for the opportunity and the desire to steal from you. Secure your items.”
Comments
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 3 months ago
Wasn't the mall robbed. Sorry that happened, but we have to get away from the PR stunts. They do their best I'm sure but more emphasis on intelligence and smart policing would be better
ThisIsOurs 6 years, 3 months ago
I still say it would be great if the senior men/women in the police and defense force led the weight loss and healthy eating campaign
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