With crime having no barrier and the threat of terrorist attacks all too prevalent, regional and international law enforcement agencies were on Sunday admonished to pool their resources as they seek to wage war on international and transnational crimes.
While addressing the International Association of Reserve Police Executives at a church service held at the Church of God of Prophecy, East Street, immediately following a march and parade from Police Headquarters, Minister of Housing and National Insurance, Shane Gibson, underscored the importance of exchanging information and intelligence.
“International criminal cartels and terrorist organisations broadly consult and cooperate with each other, exchange information and intelligence and pool their resources as they engage in different aspects of criminal enterprise.
“The most compelling challenge for the law enforcement community in the 21st century, I believe, is to turn the very modalities and strategies used by these international and transnational criminals against them. In order to effectively wage a war on transnational crime, we need to place less emphasis on borders, and more emphasis on cooperating and consulting with each other, never losing sight of the prize… and that is putting the bad guys away,” said Minister Gibson, who spoke on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Cynthia Pratt.
He added that it is critical for law enforcement officers to recognise and always remember they are apart of a global fraternity of dedicated and committed men and women.
And while noting that there are issues and concerns unique to them, Minister Gibson said they are a group of special breed people.
“And, indeed you do have issues and concerns that are unique to you. Police Reservists are a special breed of people. You have made a deliberate decision to assist career officers in the protection of life and property and the maintenance of the peace. You have chosen to stand side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder with other members of the Police Force, as they enter into harms way in fulfilment of their mandate. Law enforcement is not your career. It is a vocation for you, and that, my brothers and sisters, make you very special, for vocation is the highest form of service.
“Your police work is not a job; it is really your contribution to society… to the community in which you live. While many are prepared to sit back and complain and criticise about what the police are not doing to fight crime, you have determined that you could best make a difference by getting involved and becoming a part of the Police Department.
Today, the Police Reserves number in excess of 700 men and women and are represented in every major Family Island in The Bahamas. The Reserves are now a vital and an integral part of the Police Force, performing an invaluable function; not only in terms of augmenting manpower, but also in terms of the special skills they bring to the Force.
Reservist perform duties in virtually every area of the Force, including the Criminal Detective Unit, the Drug Enforcement Unit, Mobile Patrol, Forensics, Fire Branch and the Band, and in the Family Islands they are called upon to man stations.
The more than 400 reserve officers who participated in the service, hails from Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Trinidad, Minneapolis and The Bahamas. They are set to meet in the capital beginning today for a week of brainstorming, with the aim of taking their job to another level.
Also in attendance were: Acting Governor General, Paul Adderley; Senate Vice-president, C.B. Moss; Lady Marguerite Pindling; Deputy Commissioner, John Rolle; Assistant Commissioner Alan Gibson, and Assistant Commissioner in charge of Crime, Reginald Ferguson.
By Keva Lightbourne, The Nassau Guardian
