Police Authorisation To Disperse Groups Extended
The authority for police to disperse groups in Sandys is set to expire at 11:59pm tomorrow [June 13], however has been extended for one month.
Last month police officers began exercising powers afforded to them under Section 110 of the Criminal Code Amendment Act 2010 to disperse groups, with anyone who refuses liable to be arrested and fined up to $2,500 and/or 3 months in prison.
The police said the Cambridge Road and Somerset Road areas — also referred to as “Gun Alley” — have “presented challenges” and that some of the men who congregate in the area are associated with the MOB gang.
The police since this came into effect, the area has “experienced a dramatic reduction of men congregating and an increased feeling of safety in the Somerset communities that had been affected.”
“Area residents have telephoned Somerset Police Station to give thanks for the relief and at least one business has reported patrons who were staying away from the premises have returned,” the police said.
“These are positive results and Acting Chief Inspector Robert Cardwell thanks the men who would normally congregate in the area for their compliance”
The extension notice is here [PDF], and the full police statement is below:
The authority that is set to expire at 11:59pm on Wednesday 13th June, 2012 has been extended under the authority of Acting Police Superintendent Sean Field-Lament for an additional one month period.
This extension notice will appear in both the Royal Gazette and Bermuda Sun newspapers. The Bermuda Police Service deems it to be both appropriate and proportionate to extend use of this authority in-line with its mission of making Bermuda safer.
Since the Notice was given that police would begin exercising powers to disperse groups in accordance with Section 110 of the Criminal Code Amendment Act 2010 in the areas of Somerset Road and Cambridge Road Sandys parish, these affected areas have experienced a dramatic reduction of men congregating and an increased feeling of safety in the Somerset communities that had been affected.
The men had previously been congregating in numbers and their behavior has been anti-social. In fact, their behavior had caused alarm and distress to the area residents who reported that they have been living in fear and under constant intimidation.
However, since the authority to disperse was given, the police have not been caused to give a single warning to any person as a result of the immediate compliance that has been experienced.
Area residents have telephoned Somerset Police Station to give thanks for the relief and at least one business has reported patrons who were staying away from the premises have returned, reporting that they feel more comfortable doing so.
These are positive results and Acting Chief Inspector Robert Cardwell thanks the men who would normally congregate in the area for their compliance, as well as the community for their continued support and participation in resolving the problems that caused alarm and distress.
The Bermuda Police Service continues to work in partnership toward solutions that will sustain what has already been achieved with the officers of the Western Area Community Action Team, the Cambridge Road Community Group and other stakeholders in the community.
Taking us back in time this is just the beginning of what’s to come using this as a tactic to take it further wonder if they will target all the different ethnic groups that congregate in areas and are said to be causing a disturbance or will it be used for some and not others just asking
Was that a sentence?
wats your point
The point is your sentence was incoherent, mate. Take a course.
@Judgement – You must be talking about those rowdy Portuguese and Filipino people! They always congregate around certain areas and threaten people while getting drunk and high! People are ALWAYS calling the police on them. Yes, those must be the “ethnic groups” that Judgement is talking about. Get out of the DeLorean and come “Back to the Future”.
You obviously live under a rock if you think that there are no places that other ethnic groups hang at, are not a nusiance and the police are not called for them.Maybe you just don’t know or choose not to see with your eyes wide open and still can’t see.The point is when it comes down to it will the authorities choose who they use this policy on and or what areas they use this policy for, its as simple as that. Maybe you couldn’t figure that point out
Well lets do it! Name the places (I assume public places) and groups that are sitting off there. Ord road, White Hill, Pontoons down Point, Town, city hall (this is a black and white hang although the old guys with the beer in the bags hang by the tree on the parking lot side), City hall fountain wall, main bus terminal (not taking about those who are actually catching the bus.. I mean where are these groups of other ethnic groups. I mean I saw a group of Asians having a picnic at a park one day surely they where ok right. Some people just don’t see how far the things they say can be switched and challenged……
LOL disclaimer I no way what I have said should be taken as remarks against black Bermudians just being real here the majority of groups black, white or other that hang out don’t cause any trouble. Those that are laws where already there to deal with it people needed to take their hood back by using the police but this law is in effect taking our responsibility away making someone else are keeper yet again.
LOL
How do you get “back to the future”
Who else is causing a disturbance fool!? You sound like part of the problem and not the solution.
So who is causing the disturbance. Let me hear it from you. Who then???
You missed the whole point. I guess you dont have the ability to understand. Why are you getting personal and childish with the name calling? Must have struck a nerve!
Please try to think outside the box or maybe you don’t want to or you don’t have the ability to do so
Your name says it all “truth is killin’ me…” sounds like you can’t handle the truth
About time. Makes no difference where they go. Just get it done. It should be for a 5 year period. ask the people in Philadelphia. They were sympathetic in the early days and now regret being so soft. They have no neighbourhood.
What is wrong with people. Why can’t they see that this is a gov. tactic that they are using around the world. They are making an excuse by using gangs as their reasoning behind it.
The real reason behind it is that if people wanna march on government/cabinet house then you have to go and get a license/ pass or whatever the hell you wanna call it, from gov. The same people you would be marching against. This is so when they tell you to stop or they want it to stop the police have the powers to disperse you lawfully. Bermudians open up your eyes. The Government no matter PLp, Ubp, Oba, or whoever is in power are taking away your rights and freedoms. Look at USA. We are fast becoming a controlled group of sheep. Open you eyes Bermuda.
I’d like to see them lock up a group of people marching on cabinet, people trying to make their voices heard, especially a large group, that could get ugly.
“When you cut the facilities, slash jobs, discriminate, drive people into deeper poverty and shoot people dead whilst refusing to provide answers or justice, THE PEOPLE WILL RISE UP, and express their anger and frustration, and if you refuse to hear their cries, a riot is the language of the unheard”
It really is quite simple, If you are doing nothing wrong, No one is going to bother you and tell you to move on, but why should the public be subjected to people acting in an unlawful manner. Go do it in a house. Real Men Do Not Sit On Walls All Day Long, find something positive to do!
Yeah you just “dont get it”…. How do you know any of these men are sitting on the wall all day as you put it?if you read the legislation it does not state a time a person would have been there. it says a senior police officer can deem the crowd to be an issue… I agree this neighborhood should be cleaned up but the way it has been implimented screams of the dark ages.. these are able bodied young men who may or may not have come upon hard times… do we lock them away for hanging with like minded people where they feel comfortable… hows about offering them opportunities to be educated, employed, respected, etc… please stop throwing our black males in the trash….it may come back to bite you in the end..
da, from where I see it, they are throwing themselves in the trash. The opportunities are there, they choose not to take them. They choose a negative lifestyle and then they want the law abiding community to show them respect? Please!!!
Thank you, I really don’t think a community would put the time and the effort into this, if these were nice men having quiet conversations. A lot of people really do have Better-things to do with their life. Please, if any of these men want help there are so many programs available, pick up a phone and ask, don’t wait for someone to rescue you, it does not work that way!
I can tell you are just reading what people write in the papers to fuel your statements. Have you ever actually spoken to someone from that neighborhood? Or better yet, been to the neighborhood? Do you eve nknow any of these young men? How do you know that they are doing nothing and being comeplete nuisnces? My guess is that you read it in the paper or saw it on TV. My point is that you do not know what is going on up there and are merely speculating that you know the facts when all that you do know is the appointed opions that are posing as facts. Go and talk to just one of the residents in that area. I’ll put up 100 bucks that their answer differs from that of the past articles on this subject.
Thank you for that!!!!!!!!
I agree!
Electioneering at it’s worst, the “idea” was probably a brain fart by the worst police commissioner we’ve ever had, who is now looking to get elected.
This will be extended indefinatly watch and see………
LOL
use these powers on court street too!