Walter Roban: ‘Keeping Our Communities Safe’
“The removal of yet another physical police presence from our communities without enhancing existing services, may save money but doesn’t speak to the main priorities of the Bermuda Police Service; keeping our communities safe,” Shadow Public Safety Minister Walter Roban said.
Front Counter Services Suspended at Southside, Somerset & Airport Police Station
Mr Roban’s comments follow after the police confirmed that “front counter services are being suspended at Southside, Somerset and the Airport police stations due to the low volume of enquiries being made by members of the public at each location.”
“The overwhelming majority of our initial customer services are provided by email or over the telephone,” the police said. “It has become an inefficient use of civilian Station Duty Officers [SDOs] to keep 3 police stations open 24/7 with very little use of their services. The SDOs will be transferred to Hamilton Police Station which will maintain a 24/7 operation at the front counter for public access.
“This will not affect the level of police response in any of these areas, and police officers will continue to work from the stations as normal. The exception is the airport police station where repairs are needed to be carried out. These officers will report for duty from Southside Police Station.
“The stations will still be available to the public by appointment [to make statements, or to hand over found property, etc.] and a phone box at each front door will provide pedestrians with immediate access to the 24/7 911 emergency dispatchers at COMOPS in Prospect. Telephone enquiries will continue to be answered as normal.”
Mr Roban’s Statement
Mr Roban said, “The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party’s approach to law and good order is built on the fundamental foundation that we must ensure that Bermudians, residents and visitors are able to enjoy lives free from fear and crime.
“The removal of yet another physical police presence from our communities without enhancing existing services, may save money but doesn’t speak to the main priorities of the Bermuda Police Service; keeping our communities safe.
“The PLP’s position is that the manpower changes to the stations in these communities must be accompanied by:
- “1] A review of current Police patrols and manpower to ensure that a strong, visible Police presence is maintained.
- “2] Reform of the Community Beat Officers programme to ensure that it is working, appropriately staffed and given the resources needed to do their job effectively.
- “3] Consideration of maintaining a presence at the affected stations during “peak” hours.
“We further note that the OBA’s promise of to put in place a fully operational Police Station in St. George’s has been broken,” added Mr Roban.
“This combined with the scaling back of operations across the island, reinforces our position that in the absence of these operational facilities, a visible, increased presence would not only be helpful, but welcomed by our community,” concluded Mr Roban.
Oh shut up.
It is almost if Roban and the PLP didn’t read the BPS’ rationale or simply dismissed it outright.
Is the Shadow Minister accusing the police of being liars?
Physical presence in our communities? I think he meant a physical presence behind a desk.
Surely Roban understands freeing up personnel from an underutilized resource can result in these officers being deployed for an actual ‘physical presence’ in the community.
Or is that expecting too much from politicians?
All very easy to say…but you gotta say something otherwise you lose your validity-right? I think you lost you validity PLP, you never made good on any promises you made on the door step, you did give your friends some cushy jobs and contracts but the average Bermudian got nowhere.
I will continue to read the occasional drivel but it is sounding pretty desperate I have to say.
His drivel in no way compares to the prosecution of the “BLP” – that’s what you people get for winning a few terms. The police are trying to maximize their budget; others are trying to maximize their chances of winning again. Good luck.
Never read anything that comes from Bud.
This is not removing police from the community but adding to it. Mr. Roban has never allowed the truth to get in the way of a good story. Similar to his lies about the ladder truck at BFS yet he never apologised to the community for getting the facts wrong about that. Consider the source and pardon the offense LOL
Who is the plp these days anyway? Looks like a one-man band right now and an irrelevant man at that.
The PLP is the oldest, longest running political party in Bermuda. MP’s will come and go; the PLP will remain. Your prosecution of PLP will not save you – call an election now if you are so certain about your ability to remain the government. You have no idea of the resentment you are fostering by what you are doing and have done.
All bulls#!t.
50 years ago when I put on that uniform I did it for a reason.
Shalom.
Perhaps Walter can remind us who closed the St. George’s police station in 2007?
Taxi for Roban !