Dear Editor,
Dec 28, 2013
The unofficial murder count has hit triple digits. Would you believe me if I were to tell you that over 30% of the murders this year were committed by persons already known to police? These are men already in the system or out on bail. Let that sink in!
Today in his press conference, a fed up Commissioner finally said what needed to be said. You must understand that there are those on the police force who really believed that the murder count would not hit 100 this year. They believed that because of the success they were having with the new anti crime initiatives implemented earlier in the year. So when you started going 1-2 weeks at a time without any murders, there was cause for optimism.
What has been disheartening over the last few months was the growing realization that no matter the strategy the police took, they are married to a system that is making their hard work almost meaningless. And for the first time the normally tempered Mr Greenslade showed his frustration today, not with the criminal element in the country, but with his partner, the Attorney General’s Office.
Mr. Greenslade isn’t one to point fingers, so when he does it, its a big deal. He made it a point in his press conference to stress how persons doing all the killings and causing injury, soon after they are caught and brought before the courts, are back on the streets within a matter of months killing, causing injury and subsequently being rearrested. He has had enough of this cycle.
Mr Greenslade is telling the PM that he is doing his job and catching the criminals but the AG’s office and by extension the PM, needs to do theirs and complete the process of seeing these criminals stay locked up.
That is how you properly call someone out without calling names. No need to get nasty. But it begs the question, if these concerns were raised privately, why the press conference to put it in the public domain? Is Mr. Greenslade not happy with the slow moving process of restructuring the AG’s office? Is this his round about way of putting fire underneath the legislature, the Prime Minister and Allision Maynard Gibson? I certainly think so.
If repeat offenders are responsible for a significant portion of crime, then steps must be taken to fix it. It seems so simple, yet my government seems to be taking its slow time in dealing with the real problem, the justice system itself.
Repeat offenders are not policing problem, and thus the point of Mr Greenslade’s press conference. These people should have been flagged by the justice system and the appropriate charges filed. If it is your second or third time before the courts for a serious offense, you shouldn’t even be eligible for bail.
Mr Greenslade did the right thing in his press conference. I can tell you BP that the Police feels pretty confident now. They have a good idea what finally needs to be done. But what is frustrating the hell out of the top brass in the force, is having a court system that is no longer effective, weak legislation and some judges who cant think straight.
Today Mr Greenslade started it and we now must continue applying pressure on the Christie administration. Mr Christie, the ball is in your court!
Altec
Altecbahamas2012@yahoo.com
