Region Six Police Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus addressing the gathering
The Police’s Regional Division Six has recorded an 18.2 per cent increase in serious crimes from January 1 to November 11, 2024, when compared to the corresponding period last year.
The figures were revealed on Thursday by Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus as he launched the region’s Christmas policing plan.
During his presentation, he stated that 10 murders have been committed in the division so far this year compared with 15 for the corresponding period last year and 14 for the same period in 2022.
As it relates to robbery under arms where firearms were used, there have been 20 recorded in the region as compared with 12 for the same period last year. For robbery with violence, the figure stands at 11 compared with six for the corresponding period last year and seven for the same period in 2022.
For the “other robberies” category, the figure stands at nil for the year, for the same period last year, it was 3, and in 2022, nought as well.
“When we analysed what was happening in Region Six, we started to change our strategy and for the last quarter, we have seen a reduction in regards to robbery under arms; we continue with that effort and I am hoping that for this last quarter, it will continue to go down,” Senior Commander Bacchus reported.
“At the end of it all, with all the stats, we have an increase of 8.2 per cent. In addition, there were 66 reports of rape in the region so far this year. This represents a 53 per cent increase over last year’s figures. For the corresponding period last year, the figure was 32.
“Most of them are statutory rape,” Bacchus explained.
Referring to rape as a social problem, the Commander said the Police are working with several stakeholders, including the Human Services and Social Security Ministry, and more persons have been coming forward to make those reports.
As it relates to narcotics, so far this year, through eradication exercises and other forms of policing, a whopping 18.6 billion grams of cannabis were confiscated and 29 persons were brought before the courts compared with 24 for the corresponding period last year when 24.8 million grams were found.
Eighteen firearms were removed from the streets this year compared with 15 for the corresponding period last year.
“…most of these firearms were found during eradication exercises,” Bacchus explained.
The Commander noted that most of the serious crimes were not organised crimes, and “we have seen that guns and cutlasses are the more prevalent instruments used in robberies and larceny from the person.”
Addressing traffic, Bacchus pointed out that there were 16 fatal accidents resulting in 19 deaths so far this year. The figures were the same for the corresponding period last year. The most common causes of those accidents were inattentiveness and speeding.
Of the 19 persons who died on the roads in Region Six so far this year, 10 were motorcyclists, one a pedal cyclist; two, drivers; three, pedestrians and one, a passenger.
Commander Bacchus said there are too many reckless motorcycle users on the roadways.
“Reckless, in the sense that they are not using the motorcycle in the way that they ought to. You find some riders who are lying flat on the motorcycle and you can hardly see their head if you are approaching, they lose control.”
Bacchus also pointed out that many motorcycle users do not wear safety helmets. (Andrew Carmichael)
