Royal Bahamas Police Force
Meet the Press – Year in Review 2010
January 24, 2011 at 11:00AM
Paul F. Farquharson Conference Centre
Police Headquarters
East Street
2010 was a year filled with crime challenges. We saw the proliferation of murders in our country and received far too many reports of shootings, stabbings, breakings, stealing, disturbances and a wide variety of other complaints. Despite the high volume of crime complaints, which were received from members of the public, our officers performed admirably. Not only did they respond to criminal complaints but they also responded to calls for services which were not directly related to crime at all.
I am pleased to report that overall serious crimes against the person decreased by 2% in 2010. This decrease was influenced by decreases in rapes which were down by 29% followed closely by unlawful sexual intercourse and attempted rape which posted decreases of 28% and 15% respectively. Notwithstanding the overall decrease in serious crimes against the person in 2010, the record number of 94 murders eclipsed the positive contributions made by officers who worked very hard to prevent the escalation of serious crimes against the person.
The 94 murders in 2010 represent an increase of 9 murders over the figure of 86 which was recorded in 2009. Due to the outstanding work by police officers and detectives, 89 persons were arrested and charged for murders committed in 2010. The detection for murders committed in 2010 now stands at 70% (66 murders solved) and I hasten to point out that the percentage is improving as we continue to solve cases from 2010.
Overall crimes against property increased by 14% in 2010. This increase was influenced by increases in Housebreaking, Stealing, Stealing from a vehicle, and stealing of vehicles which posted increases of 16%, 22%, 41% and 11% respectively. Based upon our investigations, we are of the firm belief that the opportunities for jewelry to be traded quickly for cash and also a ready market in our local communities for stolen property are two of the main reasons that we were so challenged by these types of property crimes in 2010. This being said, the category of shop breaking and Burglary posted decreases of 13% and 7% respectively.
In 2010 we were deliberate in our responses to pursue and arrest persons in possession of illegal firearms, ammunition and drugs. We established a Selective Enforcement Team to target prolific offenders and we redirected the efforts of the Firearms Tracing and Investigations Unit at CDU. We launched many combined operations (Detectives and officers from police divisions) in 2010 and we executed thousands of search warrants. We issued in excess of 15,000 traffic tickets (Fixed Penalty Notices) and sent thousands of people before the courts for traffic related offences. Our efforts paid good dividends as you will note when the interdiction figures are shared with you momentarily.
In 2011 we will also continue our efforts to reduce crime, enhance public safety, to positively engage our young people, improve our traffic management responses, and protect our nation’s borders. We will also continue to target persons who traffic and possess illegal firearms as these weapons of destruction have exacted an unmerciful toll on our society. I believe that it is appropriate here for me to renew my call for our people to put down illegal weapons and to desist from a life of crime. I call upon all well meaning citizens to stand with us as we recommit to making our communities safe places to live, work, visit, and play.
I wish to recognize, at this juncture, the outstanding contributions of the employees of the RBPF in 2010 and I want to again publicly offer our thanks and appreciations for the sacrifices that they have made. We believe that the majority of our officers are decent, upstanding, honest, and industrious Bahamians who are committed in the service of the citizens of this country. However, I must also recognize the fact that we have among us some persons who have not remained true to their oath of office and who have brought the good name of the RBPF into disrepute in 2010. Where we have identified such persons, our actions have been firm and decisive. I have asked Deputy Commissioner Dames, the head of discipline, to share details of the actions we have taken in dealing with such officers.
Momentarily you will hear from various members of my Executive Management Team and the Commanders of the Central Detective and Drug Enforcement Units. They will provide more specific details regarding actual crime figures and will speak to many other successes that we have had.
We have also prepared statistical packages for you which you will receive immediately after this press briefing.
I wish to conclude my remarks by thanking the Government of The Bahamas for providing us with the required resources to effectively perform our duties and for the support that they continue to give us on a daily basis. I wish to also thank members of the community for the tremendous support which we received in 2010. Our best results were as a result of the support which we received from our public.
Members of the press, you have carried our stories for the entire year and you have assisted us on occasions when we needed you most. For this, and many other courtesies, we thank you very much.
I will be happy, along with my team, to answer your questions after the formal presentations. Thank you.
Ellison E. Greenslade, QPM, MBA
Commissioner of Police
24th January 2011
Boy Greenslade really put the *** in ascot. Lol!
Murders
Ninety four (94) murders were recorded in The Bahamas in 2010 as compared to 86 in 2009. This represents an increase of 9% (7 murders) over 2009. Of this amount, 78 (83%) were recorded in New Providence, 8 (9%) in Grand Bahama, and 8 (9%) in the family Islands. Seventy (70%) percent, or 66, of the murders recorded in 2010 were solved and eighty nine (89) persons were charged for murder before the courts in The Bahamas.
An illegal firearm, predominantly a handgun, was the weapon of choice by murderers in 2010. In 69 murder cases, an illegal firearm was the weapon of choice. This was followed by knives which were used in 18 of the cases.
Fifty four (54) of the murder victims in 2010 were adult males between the ages of 18 and 35. 14 adult females were murder victims in 2010 along with 1 juvenile male.
In 25 of the murder cases, conflicts between persons involving illegal drugs were the motive for the crimes. 34 cases involved general conflict between people and 5 were retaliation as a result of ongoing feuds between people known to each other.
The highest amount of murders were recorded in the Southern Division (17), followed by Southeastern (15) and Southwestern (15) Divisions.
Eight (8) murders were recorded in Grand Bahama, two (2) in Abaco, two (2) in Bimini, one (1) in Andros, one (1) in Exuma, one (1) in Long Island, and one (1) in Inagua..
Sexual Offences
Rape, attempted rape, and unlawful sexual intercourse saw notable decreases of 29%, 15%, and 28% respectively. Seventy nine (79) rapes were recorded in 2010 as compared to 111 in 2009. One hundred and eighty six (188) cases of unlawful sexual Intercourse were recorded in 2010 as compared to 260 in 2009. Of these, 39 cases of rape were detected and 35 cases of USI were detected.
Total Recovery for The Bahamas: (351) Armed Robbery
Nine hundred and seventeen (917) armed robberies were recorded in 2010 as compared to 882 which were recorded in 2009. This represents a marginal increase of 4% over 2009.
Burglary, and shop breaking were down by 7% and 13% respectively in 2010. However, housebreaking, stealing, stealing from a vehicle, and stolen vehicles posted increases of 16%, 22%, 41%, and 11% respectively.
Firearm and Ammunition Recovery
An invigorated team of detectives at the Firearms Tracing and Investigations Unit (FTIU) performed exceptionally well in 2010 by executing search warrants and conducting directed operations against Firearm Traffickers and persons suspected of being in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. Members of the selective enforcement team (SET) along with divisional officers, intelligence officers, and detectives from specialist areas such as the Security and Intelligence Branch (SIB) and the Central Detective Unit (CDU) collaborated to deliver outstanding results in 2010. These initiatives, across the force, clearly supported the forces’ policing priority of reducing crime by targeting prolific offenders and interdicting illegal firearms.
Three hundred and fifty one (351) illegal firearms and 6,224 rounds of assorted ammunition were recovered in The Bahamas in 2010 as compared to 312 illegal firearms and 4,388 rounds of assorted ammunition which were recovered in 2009. The following is a breakdown of seizures for the islands of The Bahamas during 2010:
New Providence, Central, Grand Bahama
& Southern Bahamas
· Shotguns (46) Shotguns (6)
· Pistols (155) Pistols (29)
· Revolvers (57) Revolvers (7)
· Rifles (18) Rifles (5)
· Imitation (26) Imitation (2)
Total Recovery (302) Total Recovery (49)
Illegal Drugs
· Table of comparison Drugs seized 2009 versus 2010
2009
2010
Cocaine
4,206.25 lbs
592.14 lbs
Ecstasy Tablets
160 tablets
Nil
Hashish Oil
Nil
53.01lbs
Hashish
Nil
Nil
Marijuana
13,223.99 lbs
9,988.60 lbs
Marijuana Plants
11,374 plants
35,678 plants
Control of Money Laundering:
During 2010, a total of forty five (45) Suspicious Transaction Reports were received for investigations. Seven (7) new Proceeds of Crime (cash seizure cases) were investigated with a total cash value of one million twenty seven thousand three hundred and seventy two ($ 1,027,372.00) dollars. Eleven (11) Proceeds of Crime (cash seizure cases) were placed before the courts which totaled eight hundred eighty thousand six hundred fifty one dollars and seventy one cents ($880,651.71) and a total of one million twenty four thousand six hundred and seventy three ($ 1,024,673.00) dollars were forfeited to the Crown by the courts which represents three (3) cases from previous years.
Traffic Enforcement
Traffic statistics for 2010 are as follows:
Fixed Penalty Notices Issued: 18,489
Fixed Penalty Notices to Court: 15,580
Road Accidents with Damages: 2,046
Road Accidents with Injuries: 679
Fatal Accidents: 43
Hit and Run Accidents: 241
Total Amount of Road Accident Reports………………………….2,966
Traffic Offence Reports: 554
Traffic Operations: 23
Road Checks: 11
Escort Duties: 210
BREAKDOWN – FATALITIES:
NEW PROVIDENCE 23
GRAND BAHAMA 6
ABACO 3
ANDROS 3
ELEUTHERA 4
EXUMA 2
SAN SALVADOR 1
LONG ISLAND 1
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