By LETRE SWEETING
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said new vehicles donated to the Royal Bahamas Police Force by the United States, as well as additional vehicles ordered by the government, will boost law enforcement’s saturation patrols and help combat crime.
The US handed over 20 new Ford Police Interceptor Hybrid SUVs at a value of nearly $1.4m at a ceremony at RBPF headquarters yesterday.
Mr Davis said 100 more police vehicles have been ordered by his administration and should be in the country soon.
“This is what neighbours do for each other,” Mr Davis said yesterday referring to the US government at the handing over ceremony for the fleet of vehicles.
“These definitely will have some impact, because they’re in dire need. This is what neighbours do for each other and I am grateful for them for this gift of the 20 cars,” Mr Davis said.
“One of the necessary tools to fight the crime issue is the ability to ensure that your law enforcement officers are mobile and able to get to places quickly. They need to be able to move around, patrol and to respond quickly,” he said.
The 20 hybrid vehicles will be added to the 32 vehicles previously donated to the RBPF by the US government to help replace crucial infrastructure lost during Hurricane Dorian.
This most recent donation comes after a conversation between Prime Minister Davis and US Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House in January to discuss several security issues facing The Bahamas, including the fight against weapons trafficking, and illegal migration.
Mr Davis said the new vehicles would further assist with saturation patrols, which require many officers and vehicles being concentrated on patrolling in “high crime areas”.
“They are badly needed in order to add capacity. With these new vehicles, we will be able to mount additional saturation patrol operations in high crime areas. We’ve ordered another 100, and hopefully with all those in place, we’ll see it being more effective,” Mr Davis said.
“The programme, the saturation patrol, has been in effect for quite some time, it has been proven very successful. I think today’s incident, which I will not speak of, demonstrates how effective saturation patrol could be in the fight against crime, preventing it and detecting it very quickly,” he said.
Earlier yesterday police shot and arrested two suspects shortly after they allegedly killed a man in the Joe Farrington Road area. Police were on patrol at the time and responded to the sounds of gunshots. A third suspect was being sought up to press time.
“Now, residents will be able to see and feel an increased police presence and the police will have new capacity to respond quickly to any criminal activity. The vehicles will be outfitted with GPS, which will allow the command centre to make more efficient decisions about how to deploy resources in real time,” Mr Davis said.
Mr Davis also mentioned his administration’s efforts to recruit more law enforcement as well as expand more crime fighting and prevention programmes.
“As you know, we are recruiting hundreds of new police, defence force and immigration officers. This is especially important, because during the pandemic, recruitment was suspended for years, we are also focused on intervening as early as possible,” he said.
“We’re expanding programmes like Urban Renewal, and Second Chance that we have ongoing. We have new initiatives to talk to target gangs and guns. Using a collaborative multi-agency approach we are zeroing in on where gangs recruit to by adding a police presence to our schools and beginning a new focus on prisoner rehabilitation granted a complex problem,” Mr Davis said.
Wayne Munroe, minister of national security, gave more information about recruitment efforts for the saturation patrols.
“In addition to these vehicles graciously donated, he has consented for the purchase of 100 patrol trucks, which will make thorough saturation patrol a reality.
“He (Prime Minister Philip Davis) has also consented to an aggressive programme of recruitment of manpower, because the vehicles on their own can’t move. And so currently, we have 105 recruits in training in the facility in New Providence, and 20 in Grand Bahama. And the commissioner will (ensure) they recruit 100 reservists, so that saturation patrol can be a reality,” Mr Munroe said.
US Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts said most of the 52 vehicles donated by the US emit very little greenhouse gases.
“Of the 52 total vehicles that were donated, almost all of them were our hybrid vehicles. And so as a result, they emit much less in the way of greenhouse gases going to traditional vehicle,” she said.
“We all know that The Bahamas had nothing to do with creating the problem of climate change, but it brings me a lot of pride that The Bahamas and that the Prime Minister speaks so eloquently about being part of the solution and setting the example for the rest of the world,” she said.