Law enforcement in Dominica will be implementing “aggressive” mobile and foot patrols during the 2013 World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), Superintendent David Andrew has said.
“The police are the lead law enforcement agency in the country and we are charged with the awesome task of law enforcement to make safe our environment for our visitors, our patrons and our citizens alike,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday. “In order to do this, we have developed a robust operational strategy by establishing and implementing uncompromising security measures throughout the festival.”
Andrew said the probability of any critical incidents will be reduced through a well “thought out” contingency plan.
“All the scenic spots will be covered, where our patrons and visitors are likely to visit,” he noted. “We will detain event disrupters without hesitation to prevent breaches of the peace, we will patrol all of our tourist sites within a 14-mile radius outside of the Windsor Park stadium.”
The venue will also be heavily patrolled by the police officers and patrons are asked to leave all weapons including licensed firearms, at home.
Meantime, Superintendent Ainsworth Irish added that no parking will be allowed between 6:00 pm to 6:00 am on various streets of the capital over the festival weekend to ensure that emergency vehicles will be able to move freely if the need arises.
“No parking will be allowed from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am on either side of Valley road from its intersection with Bath Road to the Bath Estate bridge, either side of Boyd’s avenue from the intersection with Bath Road and the area adjacent to Dominica Public Service Union, either side of the new link road from the Bath Estate bridge to the new link road, new bridge north of the Windsor Park Sports Stadium,” he noted.
Other areas designated as no parking areas include either side of Bath Road from its junction with the Kingshill/Morne Bruce Road to the Botanic Gardens from the south western gate.
One lane parking will be permitted on the western side of Independence street from the junction of River street to Bath Road and also on the western side of Bath Road from the Botanic Gardens southwestern gate to Cork Street.
One lane parking will also be allowed on the northern side of King George V Street from Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard to Bath Road, on the western side of Great George street from King George V street to the river side, on the northern side of Hillsborough street from Bath Road to the Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard, on the southern side of Cork street from the Bath Road to Dame Eugenia Boulevard and on the northern side of River street from its junction with the Bath Road to Old Street.
Other areas designated for one lane parking are the western side of Victoria Street from Sukie’s gas station to the round-about by Fort Young and the northern side of Federation drive in Goodwill road to the hospital round-about
Parking will be permitted in the designated bays in the northern and southern side of Rose street and the link road and the E.C Loblack bridge to Murphy’s lane.
There will be no entry on that portion of Bath Road from its junction with Cork street and on Kennedy avenue from its junction with Independence street.
No double parking will be permitted in any part of the city during the festival.
No vending will be allowed on Bath Road from Cork Street to River street and the link bridge and from the Stadium on the link Road to River street.
The public is also asked to avoid leaving items such as cell phones and cameras in their vehicle.
Patrons are also expected to carpool to minimize the amount of traffic in the city during that time.
WCMF 2013 is scheduled for October 25 – October 27, 2013 at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium.
i hope they don’t stop the bars and night clubs like they did a few years back because there are a lot of visitors who come not for the festival but just to have a good time and mingle with the locals,if i recall a few years back police went around and stop the music and in places like Jr’s Bar, Krazy Coconuts, and even as far as Icho’s in canefield even if there was no report to incidents or disturbance of the peace, some of us don’t give not once care about the line up or what goes on in the stadium, we come to enjoy ourselves at these place so i think the police should patrol these place full-time as they usually do throughout the other weekends but not stop the music and leave people enjoy themselves. with the same breath i would like to give praises to the police force for such a wander job they have been doing so far especially in the area of drugs, keep up the good work!!!
such international festival require a booklet for infomation for the public visting, also road map of the area and whre places of important can be found, police sation , hospital and emergency unit , in the area of the festival . This is needed.
Everything costs money. You should foot the bill for them or assist in footing the bill.
These are the words that came out a Superintendent, aggressive foot patrol, They have no knoweledge of policing.
Firm would have been the appropriate word. The ones that dresses in the army uniform act like itiots on duty I’ve seen them in action and could only laugh. I was in Dominica for carnival and was ashame of how they were getting on.
I saw one so called office punch an innocent by stander by the old market who had nothing to do with the incident that was taking place at the time.
I give the DPF 0% for policing such event on the streets. You don’t need to be aggressive like the fools that going to make trouble on the day but be firm and act professional….
And also I think the name Dominica Police force should change to Dominica Police service because even the name force is aggressive and we don’t need our police officers to fall into that catigory.
Did you feel safe during your stay?? Man that’s just nip picking and subject to interpretation. You remind me of a fellow officer who took me to task by writing a statement when I alluded to the fact, “It was a moon lit night” he admonished me by telling me I should have said on the night in question. “The moon was shining.” Only in Dominica.
Police Superintendent this is a well-thought out plan. You are all equipped to deter criminal activities and uphold Law and Order during the WCMF, that all visitors and participating residents will feel comfortable to attend and to walk the streets in safety and have an enjoyable time.
well done,what a relief for those of us who had bad incidents occur to us last year,lock down the place rambo style security !!!
A plan is only as good as those who see it through
Those who do not see it through will bear the consequences.
Well said Sage our voice of reasoning
sounds scary: aggressive foot patrol:))
Good move.I hope all possibilities have been taken into consideration and both patrols, mobile and foot will indeed be agressive.
Oh, by the way please arm the officers.This is not the 1980’s any more.
Phew Look Rules
Necessary ones.
Would be nice if a sketch could be included in this report.
‘A picture is worth a thousand words…’ especially for those who are not too family the names of the roads.
‘familiar’
The police presence will be sufficient. They will give them directions. They will not be lost. In fact, they could follow the crowd.
Best they post a map online.
Do you not know the streets of Roseau?