COMMANDER of the Berbice Division, Senior Superintendent Kevin Adonis, accompanied by other top police officials, met with the business community and the media on Thursday to unveil the division’s Christmas policing programme.He promised increased policing activity, which commenced on November 15 and will conclude on January 15, 2017. Divisional Detective, Deputy Superintendent Gary Mc Allister, noted that some challenges faced by the Criminal Investigation Department include victims’ reluctance to give written statements and attend identification parades. Consequently, some cases remain unresolved, and the investigators are often blamed for poor investigating.

Further, he lashed out at the business community, which sometimes withholds its cooperation from the police, especially when a request is made to view footage from a security camera in an effort to solve a crime.

“If they do supply the footage, the quality is often of a low quality, making it virtually impossible to identify the respective images. Additionally, citizens are not securing their homes properly, thus allowing intruders easy access,” the officer lamented.

However, despite the challenges, he said, there has been a 23% reduction of crime in the division.

Earlier, Commander Adonis noted that break-and-enter and larceny, robbery-under-arms, rape and burglary have been some of the offences high on the graph drafted by the IT staff. However, he said, the division has recorded a 22% decrease in reports, compared to the corresponding period in 2015.

Further, there has been a 31% increase in cases made, compared to the same period in 2015; and of the cases prosecuted 23%, were concluded in 2015, while 43% was completed in the current year. There was no report of kidnapping for 2016.

With respect to traffic, there has been an increase in serious accidents with this year, when 79 were recorded for this year, compared to 63 for the corresponding period last year.

There were 12 fatal accidents, along with 76 minor and 87 damage accidents respectively.

Regional Traffic Chief, Superintendent Budnarine Persaud, said 630 persons were charged with driving under the influence, and there was a 60% conviction rate; while many drivers had their licences endorsed by the respective magistrates.

Unveiling of the two-month Christmas Policing Plan at Divisional Headquarters in New Amsterdam has been aimed at minimising occurrences of criminal activities, traffic accidents and traffic congestion, besides fostering closer relations with members of the public. It is anticipated that there would be increased business activities and increased traffic accidents and congestion, as vehicles and pedestrians increase their presence along the many roadways. As a result, more than 300 ranks, inclusive of Neighbourhood Police; along with 45 vehicles, inclusive of 22 motorcycles and 12 motor pickups, will be deployed on the roadways of the ‘Ancient County’ to allow citizens to experience an accident-free holiday period.

There is also provision for marine patrols, with ranks getting access to one 35-foot fiberglass boat with a 90 horsepower Yamaha outboard engine for riverine checks in the Canje Creek and Berbice River areas.

Adonis said there is also another 40-foot fibreglass boat with an out-of-order 150 horsepower Yamaha outboard engine.

Adonis, who is acting for the substantive commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam, who is expected to resume duties in December, told those gathered that as Christmastime draws closer, there would be increased foot and mobile patrols, and road blocks would be erected at strategic points based on intelligence received.

In addition, special focus will be on the New Amsterdam shopping areas, the New Amsterdam and Rosginol ferry stellings, the Berbice River Bridge, the Port Mourant and Rosignol markets, Rose Hall Town, and Number 78 Village.
“In addition, the spotlight will be on travellers traversing from Suriname via Moleson, and along the porous borderline,” he promised.

The Berbice top cop said the residents in the division, which stretches from Abary, West Coast Berbice to Orealla, Upper Corentyne, East Berbice, has had a close relationship with the police, who continues to hold community outreach programs monthly.

Meanwhile, those present at the hour-long briefing session, during which snacks were served, included Deputy Commander Superintendent K. Simon; Superintendent K. Williams; Deputy Superintendent Guy Nurse; Woman Inspector Y. Stephens, and Inspector E. Davidson.