Dear Editor,
Rally Around the RAPF – Let us be a Force of twelve thousand strong!
Nobody thought that our island, tranquility wrapped in blue, would ever experience such gruesome acts of murder, such pain, such sorrow. But here we are panic stricken, dumbfounded while grieving the loss of another son, a brother, a friend and a loved one.
Unfortunately we on our tiny island, living perhaps in our own little world, thought that we were immune to all the global events. I remember as a teenager, my mother told me to save, so in times of drought I will have some cash. I remember back then politicians used phrases such as “things are slow”, “let us come together,” but no one listened! Why? Because when they said “things were slow” we were still receiving the green dollar, tourists were flocking our shores, Anguillians were travelling frequently to St Martin andPuerto Rico. We were shopping – enjoying our lives.
Then when we heard about a fight, a stabbing, somebody being shot, we paused for a second, shook our heads, ignored the calls for unison and went back to our normal lives.
We even accused the Police Force of leaking information. In recent times we have heard the cries, the pleas from our Commissioner of Police for persons to speak out against crime. He issued many calls for witnesses to come forward. He even begged for the support of the community. I’m a staunch listener who is always tuned in to my radio. Mr Proctor in a previous statement said we all can be a force of ten thousand strong, but I say we can be a Force of twelve thousand strong. I’m an Anguillian, and we Anguillians are always quick to criticize and lay blame. However, being in management positions, I know better than not to judge. Sometimes it looks like nothing is happening but having worked in management there is always something going on – something happening behind the scenes that the public may not see or even know about.
In recent times, we are quick to lay the blame on the officers and on the Commissioner, but I’m sure they are doing the best they can – THE VERY BEST without the help from us the public. We need to support them. Yes we can offer constructive criticism and offer solutions, but there are some persons who are hell bent on humiliating the Police Force, casting blame without knowing the proper facts. Let me say: I’m not a police officer, don’t have a friend in the police force but, as I’ve said, I too have been a member of senior management so I speak from experience. Some persons may say the police are incompetent because there are crimes that are yet to be solved. But I say the police are “incompetent” ( and I used inverted commas because I don’t think they are incompetent) because we fail to assist the officers by not giving information. What use is the technology if we do not give names of persons, locations of crime to collect the evidence so that the technology can be used to produce results? Information is key in any investigation. We’ve watched the news on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, and even Nancy Grace. In all crimes you see the Mayor, the Police, law enforcement agencies asking for information and even offering rewards for persons to come forward. What about six-year-old Etan Patz who went missing while walking to his school bus in Manhanttan 33 years ago. After 33 years!!, police inNew Yorkhave been able to solve the case – just a few week ago, and that only happened because the perpetrator came clean. There are many unsolved cases in other countries. We need to rally around our police offers, offer them our support and report any criminal conduct.
We are all affected by the global economic crisis. Things are extremely slow inAnguilla. We can see it, smell it, feel it and are all wondering when will things return to normal.Anguilladepends on tourism. What happens when tourists no longer come to our shore? Then we will all suffer. Right now we are eating half a bread, and if we allow this behaviour to continue then there’’ll be no bread. We would have killed our golden goose. So let us, Anguillians, be a Force of twelve thousand strong! Let us make it our duty to be each other’s keeper. Let us report the crimes – not just the gossip. Let us all be marchers to stamp out violence, and march to support the Royal Anguilla Police Force.
I salute you my fellow Anguillians. Stand at attention to what is happening. Be in tune with your surroundings, your environment. Report any criminal activity to the police, so then we all can be at ease in our beautiful island – tranquility wrapped in blue!
POLICE SUPPORTER
