Police report successful execution of community policing series

Community Policing Coordinator, Sergeant David Andrew Jr., shared that a series of community policing initiatives held across Dominica have been successfully executed.

Community policing is a proactive, collaborative approach to help prevent and reduce crime. It focuses on increasing community involvement, forming bonds between a community and law enforcement, and establishing an effective law enforcement presence in the community.

Speaking at a recent press conference, Andrew shared: “The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force [has] successfully executed a series of community policing initiatives throughout the island.”

He specified that these committees have been formed in the areas of Grand Bay, Pointe Michel, Tarish Pit, Wesley, and Bath Estate with the aim of meeting and discussing issues that impact the safety and security of each of these communities and coming up with workable solutions.

“Critical to the advancement of community policing is the formation of committees comprising a wide cross-section of members of the community to include village council members, principals,  teachers, community leaders, farmers, and the youth,” he added.

Andrew expounded on youth engagement by the Community Policing Unit as a key aspect of the program.

“During the last school year, the majority of schools across the islands have been visited by the police.  Several lectures and student interventions were conducted,”  he explained. “The intention is to further improve safety at our schools  by enhancing our presence at each school by assigning a school resource officer to every primary and secondary school.”

He pointed out that the role of the school resource officer is to visit their respective schools regularly, engage with the principals, parents,  teachers, counselors, provide support, give advice, and deal with any security concerns at the schools.

“Additionally, a youth mentorship program will commence shortly, targeting youths in various communities who are in need of guidance and support,” he said. “The mentors will comprise a wide range of professionals, including doctors, lawyers, police officers, firemen, prison officers, and other fields of discipline as we seek to empower our youth in the right direction of becoming outstanding,  law-abiding  individuals in our society, hence reducing  juvenile delinquency.”

He cited the example of the Wesley community, where youth unemployment was directly impacting the likelihood of criminal activity, saying, “the offense of theft of agricultural produce has caused substantial losses to farmers. The police have met with the farmers, heard their concerns, and we have collectively developed strategies to combat this particular crime,” Andrew revealed.

He continued, “Additionally, we have met and engaged the youth in Wesley, listening to them, understanding their concerns.”

He noted further that the police have also involved the youth development officer to be part of the community policing committee, thus being able to address the needs of the youth in terms of skilled training, and to ensure that they are productive, positively engaged, and ultimately gainfully employed.

Andrew also mentioned that several community work crews have been conducted across the island.

“Communities visited include Grand Bay,  Silver Lake, Bath Estate, Tarish Pit, Wesley, and Newtown. These engagements focus on dialogue and interaction with members of the public and addressing community safety concerns,” he stated. “The community walk-throughs will continue, and more areas will be visited  in the coming weeks.”

Thus far, Andrew said the response of the public has been very positive.

Neighborhood Watches is another critical initiative of Community Policing and has been formed in the communities of St. Aroment, Goodwill, Castle Comfort, Wall House, Jimmit, and Morne Daniel.

“This has enhanced the safety and security in these areas,” he indicated. “Community members actively participate in collaboration with the police to identify suspicious persons and criminal activities such as theft and burglary, which has led to the arrest and also successful  prosecution  of criminals operating in these areas.”

Meantime, he announced that another initiative by the community policing team is the removal of derelict vehicles.

According to him, this has been a major concern impacting various communities across the island because of “the obstruction of the free flow of traffic congestion it creates, and the environmental and health challenges these vehicles pose to our communities.”

He revealed that the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) has teamed up with the Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC) to rid the streets of these vehicles.

“To date, over 150 of these vehicles have been removed from various locations across the island and disposed of at the Fond Cole Landfill,” Andrew stated. “Approximately over 300 derelict vehicles have been tagged for removal across Dominica. Consequently,  this has significantly reduced congestion, eliminated traffic hazards, and improved the cleanliness and safety of our communities.”

Consequently, the police are encouraging every member of the public to partner with them in these community policing initiatives to ensure that safer communities are achieved and maintained.