Crime

Homicides Continue To Rise Because 'There Are Too Many Guns On The Street', Police Commissioner Says

ST. THOMAS -- As Governor Kenneth Mapp gets ready to announce major changes to the structure of the Virgin Islands Police Department at Government House here today, where it is expected that St. Croix Police Chief Winsbut McFarland will be named territorial chief of police, V.I.P.D. Commissioner Delroy Richards has said that one of the major issues in keeping the homicide count down in the territory, remains an apparent insurmountable amount of guns on the streets in both the St. Croix and St. Thomas districts, which he says continue to come into the territory through various ports. "I think we have too many guns in the territory, that's number one. And the question is how do we control that. Well, we have looked at all the possibilities and we are working very closely with the federal government in an effort to plug some of these holes," Mr. Richards told this publication during an employment drive held on St. Croix Saturday. He said the guns are coming through the airport, they ...