By CELESTE NIXON

Tribune Staff Reporter

cnixon@tribunemedia.net

AMID continuing criticism that the public should have been warned sooner about the recent spree of rape reports, Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said given the sensitivity of such investigations, police must be allowed to do their job without interference.

Speaking with the media yesterday, Mr Greenslade said protecting victims and their families and ensuring the integrity of investigations are the police's main priorities - both of which could be compromised if too much information is released.

He said: "We are a professional organisation, we are very well trained in the business that we do, we have to be allowed to do our work without interference.

"I can't have everyone telling us what we should and should not do.

"You have to also understand on the other side of this discussion are innocent victims and their families whose identities must be protected and whose locations must be protected and who I do not wish to be repeat victims as a result of negligence on my part or my organisation in saying too much."

Earlier this week, FNM deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner blasted the government's silence on the spike in reported rape cases.

She noted that although the exact number of incidents or the rate of incidence is not known, press reports suggest there appears to be an "alarming increase" in the number of rapes in New Providence.

But measures were taken to inform those perceived to be most at risk, Mr Greenslade said.

"There are some things we just don't broadcast at the wrong time, remember we are trying to detect and arrest these perpetrators," he said, "why would I give them the information to allow them to be even more illusive?"

The police force is very concerned and disturbed by the recent reports made over the last few months regarding rapes and other unlawful sexual crimes. Mr Greenslade said the police recognise that there are some people, in particular males, "who do not understand the word 'no' or the word 'disrespect.'"

While the commissioner said he could not provide specific information on these sensitive matters that would compromise investigations or the safety and privacy of the victims, Mr Greenslade said he is very satisfied with the work being done by scientists and investigators who are talking all necessary measures to solve these and other crimes.

He said: "We do a lot of scientific work, we have very, very capable Bahamians, many of them are civilian employees that are fully a part of our organisation and I am very impressed with the level of work that they do.

"I have devoted significant resources to these investigations, I have directed that we break the mould and do some things differently in terms of the speed of our operations, we are certainly looking at correlation data and many other things to determine what we have and who we are looking at."

"One rape is a rape too many," said Mr Greenslade. While not wanting to down play the significance of these crimes he said overall, rape figures have been lowered in the Bahamas.

He added murders and armed robberies are the only two categories of crime that have risen.

The police are once again encouraging the public to take all safety precautions, in particular at night.