As of August 31st, 2010 there were six murders, 406 housebreakings, 762 cases of stealing and at least one person everyday reported that they were harmed to police in Grand Bahama.
These were some of the latest crime statistics released by Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Quinn McCartney, at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Sunset.
McCartney has in the past vowed not to share the island’s crime numbers, because he felt they were taken out of context, but reneged on that promise to emphasize the point that the Police Force can only be as effective as members of the society allow them to be.
McCartney told Rotarians that the figures would perhaps be more alarming if you take into account that not all crimes are reported to police.
But despite what the numbers and critics say, McCartney said that he is still of the belief that Grand Bahama is a safe place to live, work, visit, and play.
With more than 70 recorded murders nationally McCartney questioned whether or not the society was at its “breaking point” in regard to crime to say that “enough is enough”
“Are we to the point as a society where we are prepared to enforce a zero tolerance policy, even if one of our family members is involved? Are we there yet?”
McCartney said that it is not up to the Police Force to determine whether we have reached that critical mass, or boiling point, but it is up to the community.
