NEVIS RECORDS OVER 56 PER CENT CRIME DETECTION RATE; ISLAND’S HIGHEST IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 6, 2017 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The Nevis Division of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force received high praises over the weekend, following the announcement of significant improvements in its operations throughout the last year.

Superintendent Trevor Mills gave an overview and report of the performance of the Nevis Division at the 14th Annual Constables’ Awards Ceremony and Dinner held at the Occasions Entertainment Arcade on Saturday, 4^th March, 2017.

Among the achievements of that division for 2016 is the realization of a crime detection rate of over 56 per cent.

“By the end of 2016, the statistics show the Nevis Division recorded 202 reported crimes of which 114 were detected. The percentage of detected reported crimes committed for the year 2016 is 56.43 per cent, which is above the acceptable international standard and the highest in twenty years in the Nevis Division,” Superintendent Mills revealed.

The superintendent further indicated that between 2014 and 2016, there was a significant reduction of 31 per cent in overall major crimes; from 285 cases in 2014 to 202 in 2016.

According to the report, major crimes include murder, attempted murder, breakings, larcenies, armed robberies, malicious damage, drugs, wounding, arson, wounding by firearm, smuggling of firearm, shooting at, assault with intent to rob, rape and unlawful carnal knowledge.

In response, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said he was pleasantly surprised to learn of the crime detection rate on Nevis, adding, “When we have good news about law enforcement we need to repeat it with regularity because whenever there is bad news we sing it as if it is a road march and it is important that the officers of law enforcement know and appreciate that the society is with them in the dangerous job which they are doing.”

Dr. Harris, who is also the Minister of National Security, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing the police force with the tools and training necessary to aid in the fight against crime.

Superintendent Mills’ 2016 crime report also revealed that five firearms were removed from the streets of Nevis last year.

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