Chrispen Gumbs
Inspector Chrispen Gumbs is not only a high-ranking official of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, but he is also a well-respected and dynamic Lay Reader in the Anglican Church.
As a top churchman and, perhaps even more than some of his top colleagues in the Force, he has the distinction of speaking out against issues of crime facing Anguilla. Further, he is a reliable source of information on all criminal matters on the island – is privy to them in his role as the Public & Media Relations Officer in the Force.
He took the opportunity at the National Funeral for the late Vernon Hodge, on January 12, to reflect that while a number of persons in Anguilla were dying from natural causes, there were some senseless killings of young people. He cautioned that there was a growing need to stop such violent deaths.
Mr. Gumbs prefaced his remarks by stressing that persons should not perceive themselves to be better than others; that they should be humble in dealing with each other; that where there is love, there is no malice; and that persons should practice the story of the Good Samaritan. It was in this regard that he condemned the senseless killing of young people by other youth.
“There is one thing that we cannot, shall not, and will not, allow to continue: the senseless killing of our young people,” he declared. “This is a fight that we all must take throughout this country…but we must do so with love and compassion. It must start in the home, this Church and other Churches across this island where pastors must challenge their members, who are parents of some of these children, to do what is right…We must take this fight into the homes where there are children who are armed with firearms…We must take this love and compassion into our schools and workplaces…”
The Lay Preacher and Police Inspector continued to speak in that manner for some time, attracting the expressed support and applause of many persons in the capacity congregation.
