THE Christmas policing strategy in Berbice will be assessed on a weekly basis and changes will be made where necessary, the Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brian Joseph said Wednesday.

Speaking ahead of the programme that starts today, he said:”I, as Commander, officers and other ranks in ‘B’ Division, are prepared to work with all stakeholders to ensure, as far as possible, a crime and accident free Christmas.”
The November 15, 2013 to January 15, 2014 schedule was officially launched in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) on Wednesday.
The Divisional Commander highlighted areas of concern to the police throughout the division, which is divided into four sections –
One, Mara to Burlam Turn; Two, Number One Road to Number 62 Village, Corentyne; Three, Right Bank of the Abary River to Ithaca Village, West Bank Berbice and Four, Number 63 Village to Moleson Creek, Corentyne.
“We will be focusing on the main shopping areas in New Amsterdam, Rose Hall Town, Port Mourant and Corriverton in East Berbice, while, on the West side, we will focus on the Rosignol, Bath Settlement and Bush Lot areas. Ranks will be deployed to monitor the above areas by static or roving foot patrol, while mobile anti-crime patrols will monitor areas with less activities,” Joseph related.
The Commander red-marked a number of areas deemed ‘hot spots’, where a number of criminal activities and traffic violations usually occur and promised that those in the four sections will be closely monitored, with offenders facing the brunt of the law.
Joseph said:”Despite we (the police) may not be present at every crime scene, those persons who are caught flouting the law, will be arrested, charged and placed before the court; whatever happens thereafter, is not within our jurisdiction.”
He said ‘B’ Division Police have a good working relationship with other Joint Services agencies and information would, normally, be gathered on known criminal elements, who are being closely watched.
“I have instructed all my ranks, especially those on the mobile patrol that, once they see a known character in or around places where they ought not to be to stop them and ask questions; keep the community on high alert,” Joseph said.
Also present were second-in-command, Senior Superintendent Steven Mansell, other law enforcement officers within the Division, Regional Chairman Permaul Armogan, Vice-Chairman Bhupaul Jhagroo, members of Community Policing Groups (CPGs), representatives of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) and members of civil society.

(By Michael Khan)