The RCIPS: Serving Against the Odds

Battling staff shortages and still facing many equipment woes, the RCIPS nevertheless vows to keep on serving the community and cracking down on crime.

This commitment to serve and protect regardless of the situation is already paying off. Police have made many arrests in recent weeks and lower crime rates will soon bring statistics down to pre-Ivan levels, reported Deputy Commissioner Rudi Dixon.

“There were significant increases in theft, domestic violence and traffic offences following Hurricane Ivan, but after launching several crime prevention initiatives, the tide is turning,” he said.

He added that police officers have been working relentlessly since the hurricane and that burnout is a constant worry: “The force lost many experienced personnel following Ivan. We usually have 322 officers, but are about 35 short now, which puts a lot of pressure on us, so we are actively recruiting, both locally and overseas.”

The Deputy Commissioner explained that the RCIPS is dogged by vehicle and equipment shortages and that working conditions are far from perfect. However, he remains upbeat about the future: “Although it takes time, everything will get back to normal,” he said.

Structural repairs to the George Town Police Station have been completed and it is currently being refurbished. Police Headquarters will also move to a new George Town location in the next few weeks, following the condemning of the Tower Building after the hurricane.

Seeking support from the community, Deputy Commissioner Dixon noted that even with a fully staffed and equipped RCIPS, it is still a case of only a few hundred officers policing thousands. “A police force can’t work in a vacuum; officers depend on the public to provide information and assistance, and we need the community’s cooperation in telling us who the lawbreakers are.”

Assistant Commissioner Anthony Ennis also called for people to help out by bearing some responsibilities themselves: “Residents should secure their property against opportunistic criminals. Although we are currently recruiting a crime prevention officer, people should still call us for advice on crime-proofing their homes and businesses. Those who suffer domestic violence can call the Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) at 946-6254 or 926-2590.”

Many specialist departments were integrated after Ivan to counter the added load on the force, but the DVU has been revived and is operating from the Traffic Unit’s offices on Lyndhurst Road, while its original Smith Road location is repaired.

Referring to the traffic situation, the Assistant Commissioner urged people to practise “good Cayman courtesy” on the road. “We must remember that we are still rebuilding, and we should be exercising calm and patience,” he said, warning that police will crack down on offenders.