— Commander Cooper urges Santa Mission residents

POLICE Commander of ‘D’ Division, Senior Superintendent Edmond Cooper, on a recent outreach to Santa Mission, told residents to keep their safe distance from drugs and alcohol abuse and embrace community development.

The commander noted that drug use often evolves into burglaries, robberies and theft.
As such, the senior superintendent warned the community against encouraging any form of drug use among its population, especially youths.
He noted that along with drug use, excessive consumption of alcohol also impact the quality of life in the community.

Commander Cooper encouraged the residents to work with law enforcement to address their concerns.
“Community development is a collective long-term process. It is designed to establish trusting relationships, build capacity and sustainable partnership. It is based on connecting, consulting and collaborating with internal members and sections, community members and organisations and community leaders for the advancement, betterment, empowerment and enhancement of community and public safety,” the commander explained.

He told residents of Santa Mission to also adopt safe use of water ways and ensure the safety of children.
“Community policing is not a programme,” the commander said, adding that “It is a philosophy about how police departments go about their business in a way that engages the community in the co-production of public safety.”

Residents also benefitted from hampers and food supplies during the visit.
Santa Mission is an Indigenous village in Region Three. It is located along the narrow Kamuni Creek, a tributary of the Demerara River.

The community was established in the mid-eighteenth century and first settled by Alfred Patterson, a woodsman, who had stumbled on the location during his pursuit of the ever-valuable Wallaba trees, which fueled the energy sector back in those days.

It is home to approximately 200 people of mainly Arawak descent. Santa Mission’s main economic activities include small-scale logging, handicraft and tourism.
The village is a stopover for tourists heading to Arrow Point Nature Resort and the former Timberhead, both of which are in proximity.