Amid Rise In Homcides, V.I.P.D. Will ‘Step Up To The Plate,” Police Commissioner Says

ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Police Department has ramp up its crime-fighting initiatives in the wake of unrelenting gun-related homicides in the territory, a number that now stands at 40 for 2016.

Speaking during a press conference held at the force’s Frederiksted headquarters today, Police Commissioner Delroy Richards revealed some of those efforts, but also called on parents and the wider community to play their roles in helping solve the daunting problem.

“In light of all the violence in the territory and the ages of the victims and the perpetrators, I encourage families to become involved, to identify those youngsters that exhibit some trend that would lead you to conclude that they are obviously involved in some criminal activity,” Mr. Richard said in his opening statement, after expressing condolences to those who have lost loved ones to gun violence.

The commissioner said he understands that parents want to be protective of their loved ones, “But we also have to be very careful of the level of protection; we can’t shield them for wrong, or they themselves will become victims in this society,” he said.

Mr. Richards said there have been 36 gun-related homicides in the territory; another four are vehicular. He said the Criminal Investigation Bureau of both districts have been tasked with developing strategies to bring some cases to closure. However, some cases have been closed without resolution, he said, because the suspects wound up becoming victims themselves.

“The closure of these cases, unfortunately, is just that. Some of them have been closed simply because the primary suspect in the case have themselves become a victim. So the suspect is now a victim. And I say this because of the retaliatory trend that exists in the territory with gun violence… When you commit a crime of violence today against someone, someone that the victim is close to will retaliate,” the commissioner said. “You commit a crime, and you’re going to walk around this territory with a grim reaper on your back because somebody’s going to target you and that’s how it’s gong to end.”

He said while there has been success — over 100 firearms have been taken off the streets this year alone — the force is not yet satisfied with its results.

The commissioner also made known that he has reached out to multiple federal agencies, to include Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the F.B.I., and has requested increased assistance in the territory with current investigations, to assist in identifying and bringing perpetrators to justice.

“We have gotten a very sincere commitment. We have jointly partnered in an effort to get that job done,” he said. The commissioner said local federal task forces have been bolstered, “and we are going to step up to the plate.”

The force is also looking at crime from a preventative standpoint, according to Mr. Richards. “Because when we look at the age — some of them are still in school — we have decided in the Police Department that we have to do what we need to do to save the youngsters in this territory.”

He said the force has expanded its crime prevention program in the territory, including the Police Active League, called PAL, a youth crime prevention program that relies on educational, athletic and other recreational activities to cement a bond between police officers and the youth.

“The numbers in those programs have begun to increase,” Mr. Richards said.

The commissioner also mentioned the Weed and Seed program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice and was developed to demonstrate an innovative and comprehensive approach to law enforcement and community revitalization, and to prevent and control violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in target areas.

The cadet program was mentioned, which includes 10th grade and higher students. Mr. Richards said the force was “very close” to implementation. And to those who are interested in joining the cadet program but are too young, Mr. Richards said the Law Enforcement Explorer program is being rekindled.

“I have tasked individuals from St. Thomas and St. Croix to bring that program forward and to get it off  the ground,” he said. “We are interested in the youngsters in this community, because if we don’t, then obviously all is lost because we’ll have to deal with an additional wave of the criminal element and that wave might be more deadly than anything we have seen before.”

There were other initiatives mentioned as well, including a National Network of Safe Communities partnership that Mr. Richards hopes will help quell the violence.

Lastly, in a show of support for the men and women that he leads, Mr. Richards praised law enforcement officers serving at all capacities, highlighting their diligent work that they continuously perform.