Police Maintaining Presence on Court Street
The Bermuda Police appear to have been maintaining a constant presence in the Court Street area since the Friday night [Mar 19] shooting of three men outside Place’s Place. The shooting injured Maurice Martin and Robin Stovell, and resulted in the death of 26 old Jamaican national James Lawes, the son-in-law of former UBP Senator Gina Spence Farmer.
The Police maintained guard on the crime scene until some time late Saturday afternoon [Mar 20]. Saturday evening two police cars and six Police Officers could be seen on Court Street, along with the Mobile Command Unit.
Yesterday the Police could be seen, and as of this writing today [Mar 22], the Mobile Command Unit was still in place.
During the press conference held about the triple shooting, Acting Commissioner Mike Jackman had revealed that Police patrols vary their routine in order not to become predictable.
Bermuda Police Mobile Command Unit parked on Court Street Mon, Mar 22
The Unit contains communication devices, conference space, and has been described as a “mini headquarters”.
[Update: ZBM just carried a news report in reference to the Unit not being manned at all times.]
In the 2010/11 budget, the Police service received a $5.1 million increase, for a total of $65.7 million for operating expenses.
The Bermuda Police Force have assured the public of their dedication to stemming the flow of violence in Bermuda, and yesterday outlined some of the steps they are taking to curb crime.
They include:
- Working to achieve additional resources such as investigators and crime analyst
- Working with Government on new legislation
- Additional funding to support firearms related incidents
- Deploy additional officers to ensure proactive targeting of those involved in firearms crimes and to use an intelligence led deployment
- Increase the number of officers authorized to carry firearms
- The Commissioner is currently overseas recruiting qualified Authorised Firearm Officers to boost our local officers
- Running training courses to boost the number of available officers
- Increase ability to secure and manage information and intelligence
- Identify what works in other jurisdictions so that we they are adopting best practices
- Liaising with FBI and other US law enforcement agencies
- The Commissioner will be visiting West Midland Police in UK to look at how they are dealing with gang violence in Birmingham
- Met with and discussed initiatives being undertaken in islands in the Caribbean
The Police have stressed the need for public cooperation, and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them:
- Contact the Serious Crime Unit on 299-8115
- Contact the independent 24 hour confidential Crime Stoppers Bermuda hotline on 800-8477.
- Send an anonymous tip via the Crime Stoppers Bermuda website crimestoppers.bm
