One of the Ford Police Interceptors donated by the US to the government yesterday. Photo: Moise Amisial
By LETRE SWEETING
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said new vehicles donated to the Royal Bahamas Police Force by the United States, as well as additional vehicles ordered by the government, will boost law enforcement’s saturation patrols and help combat crime.
The US handed over 20 new Ford Police Interceptor Hybrid SUVs at a value of nearly $1.4m at a ceremony at RBPF headquarters yesterday.
Mr Davis said 100 more police vehicles have been ordered by his administration and should be in the country soon.
“This is what neighbours do for each other,” Mr Davis said yesterday referring to the US government at the handing over ceremony for the fleet of vehicles.
“These definitely will have some impact, because they’re in dire need. This is what neighbours do for each other and I am grateful for them for this gift of the 20 cars,” Mr Davis said.
“One of the necessary tools to fight the crime issue is the ability to ensure that your law enforcement officers are mobile and able to get to places quickly. They need to be able to move around, patrol and to respond quickly,” he said.
The 20 hybrid vehicles will be added to the 32 vehicles previously donated to the RBPF by the US government to help replace crucial infrastructure lost during Hurricane Dorian.
This most recent donation comes after a conversation between Prime Minister Davis and US Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House in January to discuss several security issues facing The Bahamas, including the fight against weapons trafficking, and illegal migration.
Mr Davis said the new vehicles would further assist with saturation patrols, which require many officers and vehicles being concentrated on patrolling in “high crime areas”.
“They are badly needed in order to add capacity. With these new vehicles, we will be able to mount additional saturation patrol operations in high crime areas. We’ve ordered another 100, and hopefully with all those in place, we’ll see it being more effective,” Mr Davis said.
“The programme, the saturation patrol, has been in effect for quite some time, it has been proven very successful. I think today’s incident, which I will not speak of, demonstrates how effective saturation patrol could be in the fight against crime, preventing it and detecting it very quickly,” he said.
Earlier yesterday police shot and arrested two suspects shortly after they allegedly killed a man in the Joe Farrington Road area. Police were on patrol at the time and responded to the sounds of gunshots. A third suspect was being sought up to press time.
“Now, residents will be able to see and feel an increased police presence and the police will have new capacity to respond quickly to any criminal activity. The vehicles will be outfitted with GPS, which will allow the command centre to make more efficient decisions about how to deploy resources in real time,” Mr Davis said.
Mr Davis also mentioned his administration’s efforts to recruit more law enforcement as well as expand more crime fighting and prevention programmes.
“As you know, we are recruiting hundreds of new police, defence force and immigration officers. This is especially important, because during the pandemic, recruitment was suspended for years, we are also focused on intervening as early as possible,” he said.
“We’re expanding programmes like Urban Renewal, and Second Chance that we have ongoing. We have new initiatives to talk to target gangs and guns. Using a collaborative multi-agency approach we are zeroing in on where gangs recruit to by adding a police presence to our schools and beginning a new focus on prisoner rehabilitation granted a complex problem,” Mr Davis said.
Wayne Munroe, minister of national security, gave more information about recruitment efforts for the saturation patrols.
“In addition to these vehicles graciously donated, he has consented for the purchase of 100 patrol trucks, which will make thorough saturation patrol a reality.
“He (Prime Minister Philip Davis) has also consented to an aggressive programme of recruitment of manpower, because the vehicles on their own can’t move. And so currently, we have 105 recruits in training in the facility in New Providence, and 20 in Grand Bahama. And the commissioner will (ensure) they recruit 100 reservists, so that saturation patrol can be a reality,” Mr Munroe said.
US Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts said most of the 52 vehicles donated by the US emit very little greenhouse gases.
“Of the 52 total vehicles that were donated, almost all of them were our hybrid vehicles. And so as a result, they emit much less in the way of greenhouse gases going to traditional vehicle,” she said.
“We all know that The Bahamas had nothing to do with creating the problem of climate change, but it brings me a lot of pride that The Bahamas and that the Prime Minister speaks so eloquently about being part of the solution and setting the example for the rest of the world,” she said.
Comments
KapunkleUp 1 year, 2 months ago
Sure, some new cars are going to solve the long running crime problems. It really shows government's confusion on this issue by still not having presented a comprehensive and sensible crime fighting program. Just like PMH, another band aid on a festering wound.
M0J0 1 year, 2 months ago
Yup sad but true, new policing measures are needed. We still using old tactics.
Sickened 1 year, 2 months ago
The US should have donated to police officers to drive them as well. Maybe a couple of judges to help prosecute? Maybe a new prison to house our ten's of thousands of criminals? How about some schools and teachers as well so that our kids don't need to be gang bangers? Oh my, this wish list will go on forever. Maybe we just beg them to take us over with a promise not to introduce income tax for ten years?
Anyway... thanks for the SUV's.
ted4bz 1 year, 2 months ago
Yeah-yeah. Seen this picture many times before.
John 1 year, 2 months ago
Tell the US to keep them with their racist self. They sending strategy and assets here that have FAILED in the US, yes FAILED !! The saturation patrols and the special police units do nothing more than assault the law abiding public and cause innocent citizens to be brutalized or killed by the police operating in these units. Tell Biden to keep them. Park them next to his corvette and the top secret documents he have in his garage. America had mass killings where the attackers are usually white and the victims are normally Black or minorities. America does not have the moral capacity to tell a Majority Black Country whom it held in slavery for four plus centuries how to manage its crime problem. The attack on that country’s capital by its own citizens confirms that!
John 1 year, 2 months ago
The killings and the crime will stop when Black Bahamians come into the light and stop embracing the FAKE Black US culture ( instigated be people who say they are Jrwsy, but they are not, They are liars and Satan is their father) and return to the God of their fathers. The devil is busy!
mandela 1 year, 2 months ago
We hope these SUVs will be used on the streets and not drive the top brass of the force around joyriding.
Sickened 1 year, 2 months ago
These SUV's will be pushing us off the roads soon. Zooming past with sirens blaring and rich white families and celebrities inside trying to get to/from the hotels/airport in record time.
themessenger 1 year, 2 months ago
@Sickened, when you last see any white folks being chauffeured in any police cars? Picky head and plaits fa sure but none of the fairer complexion as ain much a dem is be killin and tiefin.
90% of these vehicles will be piled up Sandford Fernanders scrap yard in Oakes Field within a month or two anyhow, but thank you Uncle Sam for the kind thought, nonetheless.
Sickened 1 year, 2 months ago
No man. These fancy motors with tints are used for VIP service. Ain't no picky head low level gang fella's gonna stink up these sweet new rides.
John 1 year, 2 months ago
Tells you that the 6000 years given to the white man to rule the earth is coming to an end. It is finished, the battle is over..
John 1 year, 2 months ago
Remember the US gifted Tge Bahamad an armored vehicle when most Bahamians didn’t even know what it was. They told our police to patrol the streets, social events, even high school sports and Junkanoo with high power assault automatic weapons even before there was gun violence in this country. Going to high school sports in tThe Bahamas with police toting machine guns. And the US state dey has advisories telling tourists not to interact with Bahamians to rent jet skis, get hair braid etc. how can they be your friend. If you want to help crime in this country stop sending in equipment to KILL young, black Bahy! Send in equipment and tools and personnel to our high scho to teach the young, black boys ( the same set who set firefly you enslaved and also killed for 400 year) how to a y conflicts and avoid your traps that you set all over The BaHAMAS and tge Caribbean , including Haiti to ensnare, trap and kill young Black men
themessenger 1 year, 2 months ago
@john, you is confused man, it was da Chinese who gave the armored vehicle and the grenade launchers to Christie dem no Uncle Sam.
John 1 year, 2 months ago
There are five police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, charged with second degree murder because they brutally beat and killed an innocent motorist. In an incident that lasted almost an houy( imagine that being chased and beaten and kicked and peppered by police and you are innocent) Two more police officers have been fired because of this incident and three paramedics, who failed to render aid or sufficient to the aid even up to30 minutes of arriving on the scene. These murders in The BaHAMAS are artificial. They are instigated and many who are accused of murder and eventually killed without having their day in court are innocent . Until the government of this country stop taking wicked people for friends , the genocide will carry on.
themessenger 1 year, 2 months ago
@john, I guess you also saying them five police officers who kill Tyre is wicked white supremacists too?
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