Video: Minister Updates On Strategic Plan

Minister of National Security Michael Weeks held a press conference to provide an update on “some of the good work being done within the Ministry of National Security to tackle violence and anti-social behaviour in Bermuda.”

The Minister said, “It’s important to point out that our national plan will not solely focus on gang violence. The primary goal of the plan will be to engage the public as we continue to tackle crime and violence in Bermuda. We can agree that gang violence is a symptom of deeper social ills in our community. The plan will seek to identify those ills and the resources needed to combat them.

“Our strategy will focus on prevention, intervention, and integration. Strategies will target the reduction of domestic violence as well, as this too, is a major cause of concern in our community.

“The National Strategic Plan for Community Violence and Anti-Social Behaviour is in its final stages of drafting and will be rolled out in the upcoming months.

“Once again, I want to highlight that the National Strategic Plan for Community Violence and Anti-Social Behaviour will include new and existing strategies to target a reduction in violence in Bermuda. Tackling the reduction of anti-social behaviour and all forms of violence such as bullying, cyberbullying, domestic violence, gang violence, and interpersonal violence must be a collaborative approach and will be vital to our success as a country.”

Minister of National Security Michael Weeks’ remarks

Good afternoon, ladies, and gentlemen.

On the eve of this Government’s Speech from the Throne, I wanted to give an update on some of the good work being done within the Ministry of National Security to tackle violence and anti-social behaviour in Bermuda.

As the public is aware, we cannot arrest ourselves out of the gang violence that plagues our island. Since 2017, it has been this Government’s commitment to the people of Bermuda that we would “give reducing gang violence the priority it deserves.”

Our first actions included the creation and implementation of the Gang Violence Reduction Team [GVRT]. The team did not reinvent the wheel. In fact, they built on existing policies and programmes and were given the necessary resources to produce measurable outcomes.

The GVRT is dedicated to enhancing the safety and well-being of our community, and is committed to reducing gang-related violence and its detrimental impacts on our neighborhoods. The team’s efforts encompass a wide array of initiatives, including the Redemption Programme, which offers vital work placement and training opportunities for individuals aged 18 to 35. Eighty people have participated in this programme to date, and an additional sixteen are currently in the programme. In addition to this this programme, GVRT provides crucial Individual Case Management services to ensure participants receive the personalised support they need.

The GVRT has extended its reach into the Corrections facilities through monthly visits, advocating for rehabilitation and reintegration and offering support for those completing community service hours. The GVRT’s Street Outreach teams actively mediate conflicts and promote peaceful solutions. In schools, GVRT delivers the impactful I AM Programme, provides Individual Case Management services, facilitates Restorative Circles and Conferences, and engages in daily School Visits and Small Group Sessions.

The team is fully committed to fostering a secure, harmonious, vibrant, and safe community for all its residents.

More collaborative work is needed in combatting community violence. The community has a more empowered role to play along with the Bermuda Police Service, the Violence Reduction Unit, Social Services, Judicial system, and other helping agencies.

In September 2022, the Ministry hosted a two-day conference for a cross-section of professionals in the field. We frankly discussed the challenges and opportunities for solving the community’s violence problem.

We welcomed a diverse group of participants, including representatives from helping agencies, charities, clergy, sports clubs, community activists, and even members of the opposition.

This workshop was not merely a gathering; it was a strategic move that aligned with the core principles of our national strategy – prevention, intervention, and integration.

During the conference, we established working committees, which were tasked with reaching out to their various stakeholders to contribute to our strategic plan, including the identification of gaps in services to those youth who are most at risk.

I anticipate that the feedback received from these committees will go a long way in helping us to fine-tune our plan.

We sought to encourage open and honest discussions about our response to community violence and anti-social behaviour, emphasising the need for a coordinated and actionable plan across these three pillars. By inviting these key community stakeholders to the table, we aimed to ensure that their insights, expertise, and experiences become integral components of our strategy.

Also, I took another opportunity to meet young people involved with the Mirrors Programme last December at the Bermuda Industrial Union headquarters during their monthly workshop.

This meeting was vital for me because it gave me a golden opportunity to have an honest and direct conversation with some of our youth about violence.

The youngsters, who were encouraged to ‘speak with a good purpose’, told me about what it’s like to be a young person in Bermuda today and how violence has impacted their lives.

The stories that they told had an impact on me – not just as a Minister – but as a father, a grandfather and as someone who lives in Bermuda. The feedback that I received will influence our approach to our Ministry’s National Strategic Plan for Community Violence and Anti-social Behaviour.

In an attempt to understand some of the root causes of violence, I was happy to be able to be in attendance at the graduation ceremony of the Department of Corrections’ Life Minus Violence Programme last December.

The ceremony allowed me to meet the seven inmates who graduated from the curriculum and to understand the benefits of a cognitive behavioural group environment for at-risk inmates who are struggling with chronic aggression.

I realise that as a Government, the community violence issue needs to be met with not only words but with money too. That is why last December, the Cabinet approved nearly $2 million in additional funding for the Bermuda Police Service to hire 20 additional officers.

Five of these officers will focus on parish policing, which aligns with our community approach to solving this issue. Meanwhile, 15 of these officers will specialise in serious crime investigations.

We took action when it became clear that the number of officers within the BPS was having a marked effect on the ability of the BPS to respond to crime and bring those who commit crimes, especially violent crimes, to justice.

It’s important to point out that our national plan will not solely focus on gang violence. The primary goal of the plan will be to engage the public as we continue to tackle crime and violence in Bermuda. We can agree that gang violence is a symptom of deeper social ills in our community. The plan will seek to identify those ills and the resources needed to combat them.

Our strategy will focus on prevention, intervention, and integration. Strategies will target the reduction of domestic violence as well, as this too, is a major cause of concern in our community.

The National Strategic Plan for Community Violence and Anti-Social Behaviour is in its final stages of drafting and will be rolled out in the upcoming months.

Once again, I want to highlight that the National Strategic Plan for Community Violence and Anti-Social Behaviour will include new and existing strategies to target a reduction in violence in Bermuda. Tackling the reduction of anti-social behaviour and all forms of violence such as bullying, cyberbullying, domestic violence, gang violence, and interpersonal violence must be a collaborative approach and will be vital to our success as a country.

The rolling out of the first phase of an island-wide CCTV system last month, while not directly related to the national strategy, was another achievement towards arresting the scourge of violence.

Once fully implemented, the camera system will consist of over 247 strategically placed cameras across our island. The system will provide an extensive and vigilant network to assist the police in their investigations and deter criminal activity. By leveraging advanced technology and a collaborative approach, we are taking a proactive stance in addressing the root causes of community violence.

In closing, I wish to emphasise that the Ministry of National Security remains committed to implementing and leading initiatives that will have a positive impact on the safety and security of all our citizens. We are already seeing the fruits of our labour and we shall continue to pursue the goal of reduced violence and anti-social behaviour in our community.

Thank you.

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