Caricom IMPACS to implement unified approach to deal with gun crimes

The Caribbean Community’s (Caricom) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) has said it is committed to adopting a unified approach to combatting firearms-related crimes in the Caribbean Region.
Speaking at the opening of the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit’s (CGIU’s) sensitisation and awareness workshop in St. George’s, Grenada on Monday, Assistant Director of Corporate Services at CARICOM IMPACS, Earl Harris, has declared that in an era where transnational crime transcends borders, a collective approach to the problem is more crucial than ever.

“It is our shared commitment to not only maintain operational support, but also to collaborate closely with our partners to enhance the capabilities and capacities of the member states’ firearms units within our region,” he elaborated.
Harris spoke about the CGIU and the advancements that have been made since it became operational in 2023 in terms of the integration of firearms data and information, transforming them into actionable intelligence and insights that can be used by law enforcement agencies to initiate investigations.
With support from the United States’ Department of State’s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the CGIU has been working collaboratively with other agencies, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), to support member states with firearms-related investigations. This collaboration has led to enhanced coordination on several cases, resulting in formal investigations being launched in the US and within several countries in the region.
Grenada’s Prime Minister, Caricom Chairman Dickon Mitchell, stressing that countries need to cooperate with the CGIU to curb the flow of illegal firearms into the Caribbean, has said, “We cannot only advocate, but we must take proactive measures to keep our citizens safe.”
In this regard, Prime Minister Mitchell noted that Grenada has recently amended its Firearms Act.
Principal Officer at the US Embassy in Grenada, Frances Herrera, in highlighting some of the work being done by the US Government to stem the flow of illicit firearms in the Caribbean, has said, “The US Government has already invested over US$10 million in security assistance to combat firearms-trafficking in the Caribbean, supported further by the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). This ongoing effort underscores our commitment to addressing this critical issue.”
Herrera disclosed that the partnership with IMPACS on the CGIU reflects the US’ shared recognition of the impact of crime and violence on communities in the region, and added. “By improving citizen security and removing guns from the streets, we aim to fulfill the fundamental need for safety among our citizens and residents. This initiative represents the commitment of the US to work alongside Grenada and our regional partners to reduce the movement of firearms in our region. We have already seen successes, with numerous cases (having been) investigated since the CGIU’s inception.”
She also echoed Harris’s sentiments and reiterated that future success relies on genuine partnership and collaboration among all stakeholders, with the effectiveness of the CGIU being dependent on the continued engagement and active participation of all member states.
This, the third sensitisation session being conducted by the CGIU, follows those conducted in St. Kitts and Nevis and in Barbados. It was held from August 26 to August 28, 2024 at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium, and was attended by government officials, law enforcement officers, forensic scientists, and customs officials of Grenada.