Citizens, Residents and Visitors during the week of January 22nd to January 28th, 2012 the RoyalAnguillaPolice Force celebrates its 40th Anniversary and Police Week under the theme “Public Security A Shared Responsibility”.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force was established in the year 1972 to maintain law and order, fight crime, to protect life and property and to maintain peace and tranquility in our society.
Over the past 40 years, the Royal Anguilla Police Force has steadily develop its capabilities to enforce the laws ofAnguillaand discharge it’s many and various functions. It has also grown in stature, as an effective and competent law enforcement organisation.
Today I take this opportunity to salute those men and women who so ably served the Royal Anguilla Police Force during its 40 year history. I would especially like to recognize all of the former Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendent and Inspectors for their leadership over the years in preparing the Royal Anguilla Police Force to meet some of the challenges we face today. However, I cannot omit the former Sergeants and Constables who also rendered their services in meeting their goals or objectives.
I must also thank the Governments over the years for their support in providing the resources for us to discharge our obligations to the Anguillan Community, and to you the community for the support you gave to us.
Today we are faced with many threats to our communities and to our way of life. However, firearms and violent crimes continues to instill the greatest fear in the lives of our citizens and visitors. This is so because of the reckless and lethal manner in which those criminal elements among us are using such deadly force.
These threats and acts should not be taken lightly, and every effort should be made to assist law enforcement in eliminating this threat from our society. It is very disheartening for us in policing when persons are injured or kill and witnesses of these crimes simply turn away and refuse to cooperate with us, but instead hide behind a wall of silence. The beneficiaries of this action are the criminals themselves and your silence means that these bandits can continue to co-exists with us comfortable without fear of punishment for their criminal acts.
This failure to assist law enforcement to apprehend these criminals can and will have adverse effects on our economy, tourism, foreign investment and social way of life in our country.
We have chosen on this our 40th Anniversary to highlight to you the importance of the community working in partnership with us to tackle crime and the fear of crime and to reign in those gun slinging youths in our communities. Hence we have chosen the Theme “Public Security A Shared Responsibility”.
The Security of our Country can only be sustained by such a partnership, therefore we must remove all the barriers that is preventing us from forging that lasting partnership that would turn things around and send that clear and decisive message to the criminal that we are united against crime.
There is no room for complacency, we must as a community be strong in our resolve and support to eradicate crime and work together to find swift and effective alternatives to criminal activities for our youth.
Today we are confronted with many challenges, as it relates to crime, crimes that are not synonymous toAnguilla, alone but instead the region and the international world. As a Community we must seize this opportunity while our situation is in its developing stages to work in partnership to prevent, prosecute or eradicate all aspects of criminal activity and anti social behaviour.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force continues to have some success in our fight against crime inAnguilla. It is however our intention to work towards further reductions in crime in our communities and in some areas eradicate it. This however would require the community which includes the Police to be more vigilant, to take some simple precautions for our personal security, reduce the opportunity for criminals to attack us and our property, and invest in security and security equipment for homes and business which will assist in preventing and detecting of crimes.
Though many of these problems are not insurmountable we need a unified approach and understanding between the community and the Police Department to deal with the issues affecting the communities. We are aware that there are areas for which we can improve our service and interaction with the Community and we will seek to do so.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force will continue to forge ahead with our mission to work towards a saferAnguillafor all who work and live here, all we ask in return is your support. The past leaders of the Royal Anguilla Police Force have all made their contribution to building a strong foundation on which this organization can stand on to tackle the issues we face as a law enforcement organization.
It would be remiss of me if I didn’t salute the overseas Nationals, who have served and are still serving in the Royal Anguilla Police Force. These men and women would have made great sacrifices to serve inAnguilla, and have truly made a contribution to this society, of which many of them now call their home.
Their enlistment in the Force were at critical times inAnguilla’s development and with the emergence of criminal activity and of course when there was a lack of interest on the part of the Anguillans to join the Force. I wish to thank them all for their service and the contribution they have made toAnguillasociety and ask you to continue to give them your support. To the local Anguillan Officers I will also like to show my appreciation for your valuable contributions also.
The Police Week Committee has put together a Program of Activities that will showcase another side of policing and to entertain each of you who wish to share in our activities.
On Sunday 22nd January, 2012 – We will worship with the congregation at the Methodist Churchat South Hill at 10:00 am.
On Monday 23rd January – Spelling B Competition at Orealia Kelly Primary School at 7:30 pm.
Tuesday 24th January – Gospel Concert at 1stBaptistChurchWelches at 7:30 pm.
Wednesday 25th January – Fingerlicking Luncheon at Police Headquarters at 12:00 pm.
Thursday 26th January – Senior Citizens Luncheon at 12:00 pm and in the evening is the hilarious LAUGH A LAUGH Concert at Landsome Bowl Cultural Centre at 8:00 pm.
Friday 27th January – Open Day at Police Headquarters begins at 10:00 pm and in the evening a Grand Bingo (Jackpot US$4000.00) at 7:30 pm.
Saturday 28th January – Walk-a-cize at 5:00 pm and the Kiddies Jamboree is at 10:00 am. The Police Dinner & Ball will at the Italia Restaurant (Anguilla Golf Course), and the Grand Raffle for the 2012 Ford Explorer Jeep will take place later that same evening.
We look forward to your continued support through the week as we pledge in partnership to tackle crime & violence in our communities.
