Senator Kenneth Gittens, a former law enforcement officer, has criticized the Virgin Islands Police Department for the lack of information on the efforts, if any, it has initiated to fight back against the rash of violent crimes that have affected the territory, particularly St .Thomas, in recent days.
A wave of shootings in St. Thomas that started on Saturday continued into Christmas Day and left a total of five men dead, the Virgin Islands Police Department has confirmed.
Between Saturday and Sunday in St. Thomas, 6 people were shot and 3 died. Then on Monday another man was shot to death in Hospital Ground, bringing the total deaths to 4 in three days, according to the V.I.P.D.
Then on Christmas Day in the wee hours of the morning, a shooting at the Banana Split Bar on Brookman Road left yet another man dead.
In a statement issued Thursday, Mr. Gittens said the community needs to hear from the police force. "I am very troubled by the lack of information and outreach from the Virgin Islands Police Department given that we are experiencing what seems to be a significant rise in crime these past weeks. I am infuriated by the lawlessness and saddened by the toll this is taking on our community. We need to hear from our V.I.P.D. district chiefs and the Commissioner about initiatives being taken to counter these criminal activities and to improve police and community relations," said Mr. Gittens.
The senator said the Legislature has done its part by providing the V.I.P.D. with the tools it needs to combat crime. "We have worked to put funding in place to augment our police force, offer competitive salaries and to provide additional training for our officers. Now we need to see and expect more from them. However, we cannot overlook the need for greater community engagement where residents are more comfortable about reporting suspicious activities and crime. We can’t live safely in these islands while continuing to protect friends and family that are involved in criminal activity," he said.
Earlier this month, the Bryan administration spoke of the steps it has taken to combat crimes. On Dec. 16, V.I.P.D. Commissioner Trevor Velinor provided details on the V.I.P.D.'s surge into high-crime areas on St. Croix and St. Thomas that he said resulted in a spike in illegal gun seizures and arrests over the past three months.
But Mr. Gittens said though the administration announced the heightened presence, it has not translated into actual additional manpower. "A few weeks ago, the Administration and V.I.P.D. made a public statement that they’ve pooled local law enforcement resources together, yet we have not seen any more boots on the ground and our residents are living in increasing fear of robberies and gun violence. The public needs to be assured that there is a plan in place and that the V.I.P.D. is following through," he said.
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