Deputy Commissioner of Police Jack Ewatski says any move to get rid of the 21st-century policing initiative will be a backward step. He made his comments at the public stakeholder meeting held at the Central Diego Martin Community Centre on Monday, where approximately 40 members of the community came out to express their views, a year after the initiative was implemented in their district.
"The 21st-century policing initiative is a new way of delivering our police service," Ewatski "It's a better way, a more effective way, a more efficient way of delivering our core services to the citizens. "When I look at what we have changed from in the divisions that we have brought in the 21st-century policing initiative, we have made significant improvements in the way we provide that service.
"So going back to the way we did business prior to the 21st-century policing initiative in those divisions would be a step backwards." However, residents were unimpressed with the results. Lynette Ward, of Diamond Vale, said: "They should not do that...It is not working they should get rid of it." Katty-Ann Christopher, councillor for the Covigne/Richplain area, said: "Firstly as you can see from the lack of attendance here, the district of Covigne/Richplain has completely lost faith in the Police Service."
She said when she tried to get people in her district to attend a similar meeting in Carenage, they asked her what for, because they saw no difference in the way their district is policed. "We haven't seen much of a difference at all in visibility, in customer experience, in trust and confidence, in road safety and traffic management...And worse in crime or solutions to crime," Christopher said.
"There has not been one initiative in the district of Covigne/Richplain where the police are concerned, not one." Noel Jenvey, however, said he believes in the 21st-century policing initiative but it needs time as well to make an impact. Residents of Ruby Drive, Diamond Vale, called for regular police patrols and assistance in reclaiming their park, which they said was frequently occupied by people in strange cars for long hours.
Garnet Moe, also of Diamond Vale, who said he had been in the military for 32 years, called for police to be better trained, saying that in the military, officers moved through the ranks because of their training. Joy Belfon, of Cocorite, not only called on the police to be their brother's keeper but also for residents of the various communities who are aware of family members (including children) involved in crime to come forward and report it.
Councillor for Carenage Leroy Slater was also critical of the initiative. "What has the 21st-century police initiative done for the people of Carenage? Do you have people to carry this out?" he said. "We want to get rid of this initiative and we want back the old Carenage police station." Ewatski said after the meeting that the complaints have been noted and action will be taken.
"What we heard tonight were some very frank and candid discussions by the members of this community and we have certainly taken note of that...It is obvious we still have to fill some gaps," he said. Although progress had been made, he said, there was room for improvement. "The transformation of the Police Service is going to take time, but it is producing positive results and we are going to continue to work with the community," Ewatski said.
"We are very happy the community came out tonight and voiced their concerns and was heard very clearly by our senior officers here in Western Division." He said he hoped senior officers would work with the community to improve and that further communication was needed on what the 21st-century initiative was about.
