Mon, 2005-10-31

The following represents the comments of the Commissioner of Police for use at the regular Quarterly Crime Statistics Release Press Conference of the Bermuda Police Service.

Summary:

• Crimes of violence = 70
• Crimes of stealing = 73
• Breaking & Entering = 287
• Removals = 275

Total for the Quarter = 705

Third Quarter Comparison:

• 1999 - 962 = (Rank) 7
• 2000 - 687 = (Rank) 2
• 2001 - 738 = (Rank) 5
• 2002 - 740 = (Rank) 6
• 2003 - 720 = (Rank) 4
• 2004 - 679 = (Rank) 1
• 2005 - 705 = (Rank) 3

In terms of rank ordering the 3rd quarters for the past seven years, 2005 would rank as the third lowest in the past seven corresponding quarters.

What is happening in the longer term? For the period 2001 - 2003 there were an average of 708 reported crimes in these same categories. So, 705 in the third quarter of 2005 is slightly less than that average rate. Between 2004 and 2005 we have experienced a decline in crime with the average number of crimes per quarter at 610. So, 705 represents an increase in the reported crimes in the past two years. What is driving that increase?

70 (9.9%) of the 705 reported crimes for this quarter are classed in the violent crime category. Therefore fully 90.1% of the reported crimes are actually property crimes - stealing, breaking and entering and it is these property crimes which continue to pose significant challenges to the Bermuda Police Service and to the community as a whole.

You have heard me previously refer to the stark reality that drug dependency continues to be very strongly associated with property crime. We have seen little change in this trend in recent years. It is very clear to our investigators that a significant core group of mostly men with chronic drug dependencies are rotating through the criminal justice system being arrested, convicted, released and re-offending and this is having a dramatic effect on our efforts to reduce crime in this particular category. We consistently recommend to the DPP that 'objections to bail' be raised in the courts in our efforts to contribute to crime reduction efforts and while we've seen some positive impact of this a great deal more needs to be done in my view in dealing with the cause of and actual drug dependencies.

Many of these men with criminal convictions are now in their third decade of offending. They have built up substantial criminal records and despite our targeted efforts at gathering evidence, having them placed before the Courts and convictions being recorded, more often than not we are seeing them released and re-offending almost immediately. They are circulating through the criminal justice system and are re-offending. The proverbial 'revolving door' is real for many of these offenders. This places an immense burden on the Police and society and is negatively impacting our ability to lower crime rates. To compound the problem, we are seeing the next generation of criminals emerge as teenagers become embedded in criminality by breaking and entering homes to obtain cash and jewelry to sustain chronic drug dependencies. With the strong link between drugs and crime, in my view, it is all about having drug dependencies dealt with - and dealt with early. Only then will we see more encouraging results in crime reduction.

I'm not saying anything new that those in the Criminal Justice system and the Corrections environment don't already know - it's just one of the complexities - and realities - that we have to deal with that law enforcement is just one component of an overall strategy to deal with drug-induced offending.

Violent Crime

There are some encouraging signs with respect to violent crime. Since the bladed weapons provisions to the Criminal Code became law in July 2005, we have experienced a reduction in reports of violent crime. Violent crime reports were seen to rise earlier this year to a rate that one violent crime was being reported every 25 hours. In the quarter just concluded (to September 30th) reports of violent crimes reduced to a rate of one being reported every 31 hours. A 19% reduction in violent crime from the 2nd Quarter to the 3rd Quarter is reported. In the past year, the quarterly average of violent crime reports has been 81 per quarter - so we are reporting a 14% reduction in the violent crime rate experienced earlier in the year. Information from officers who work in the Police Support Unit is that they are generally encountering less bladed weapons on the street and that the word regarding the mandatory three year sentence has reached many of those who are now thinking twice about whether to carry a bladed weapon.

Police Support Unit (PSU)

I must continue to highlight the effective work of the Police Support Unit. Much of their work is carried out during the hours of darkness and their highly visible patrols take them to the most problematic of Bermuda's neighbourhoods. In the past four nights, the PSU has made approximately 34 arrests. These arrests have been for warrants, drugs offences, offensive and bladed weapons, offensive words, assault and impaired driving. These arrests have occurred island wide - but particularly at St. Monica's Mission, Court Street, White Hill Field and other areas of the City of Hamilton.

Since their inception in 2001, the PSU has made approximately 3,600 arrests. They have made over 650 arrests year to date and are continuing to target those problematic neighbourhoods in Bermuda which present the most challenges in terms of drugs, crime and disorder. During the summer and right into October, the PSU maintained a very high profile at most of the concert and music events - where we had typically been encountering public order problems. By positioning themselves at strategic locations on the roads leading to such events, the PSU and other officers in support, seized weapons, drugs and made arrests near many of these concerts - tactics which led to safer events and less disorder.

Narcotics

In recent weeks, members of the Narcotics Division have targeted street level drug dealing. Significant drug seizures have been made - some of these have been linked with drug possession with intent to supply investigations. The PSU and members of the Narcotics Division continue to make arrests for drug offences at the street level.

A total of 258 drug seizures were made in the quarter just completed. These seizures represent the total number of seizures made by Police and H.M. Customs at ports of entry and by Police at street level. This rate of seizures is on pace to surpass the rate for seizures (over 950) in 2004. Significant seizures of cannabis and heroin were made at the Bermuda International Airport, Freight Shed and courier companies in the past quarter - exact figures will be available at year end.

Cannabis, crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin and cannabis resin continue to represent the drugs of choice in the local market and thus, the seizures.

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