Government

Mapp Signs Contract With National Network Of Safe Communities In 'Bold' Effort To Curb Gang Violence

ST. THOMAS -- Governor Kenneth Mapp has signed a contract between the Government of the Virgin Islands on behalf of the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Research Foundation of the City of New York, on behalf of John Jay College National Network for Safe Communities, for technical and strategic assistance as it relates to reducing gang violence in the territory, Government House announced late Monday. In March, Police Commissioner Delroy Richards told The Consortium that the effort was a bold strategy of the Mapp administration to eliminate the decadeslong high level of criminal activity that has plagued the territory. “We are planning on bringing them to the territory for a while,” Mr. Richards said, although he could not reveal the cost of the contract since negotiations at the time were underway, and Monday's press release was void of said details. “With the level of violence that we have here in the territory, you’ve got to try everything to normalize the situation.” Mr...