By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

RESIDENTS of Eleuthera are calling for more police presence as a wave of crime has come to that picturesque island in recent times.

Two children were shot in the space of a few months on the island as gunmen opened fire on adults nearby. These incidents have left residents shaken up and feeling unsafe. The Tribune spoke with a few Eleuthera residents who all say more police are needed on the island.

“People are fearful,” said Sandra Munnings. “I have a son in Nassau and he called me to say he hopes I am staying home because it’s crazy what is going on in Eleuthera now. Police presence in Eleuthera is almost non-existent. They hardly have cars... the police here are riding around in self-drive (rental cars).”

“I think the people in Eleuthera need to feel that the culprits in these situations are being caught. Even last year there was the murder in James Cistern and no one was even arrested for that. It seems like the police are going around knocking down people’s doors trying, looking to lock up people for these crimes, but I don’t think that’s the answer. What happened to old fashioned policing?”

Ms Munnings said she understands that police want to solve the crimes, but alleged excessive tactics are being used by some officers.

On Saturday, police said a man and his young child, later identified by family as 35-year-old Jamoric Green and four-year-old Jeremy Green, were shot dead in Rock Sound, Eleuthera. His wife and two other children survived the attack. Police said it appeared that the gunman followed the family to the location before opening fire on them.

In September, a woman’s body was found washed ashore at Lower Bogue. At the time, police said foul play was suspected although an autopsy was needed to determine cause of death.

In June, three-year-old DaNyla Roberts was sitting in her grandmother’s lap on the woman’s front porch in Hatchet Bay when gunmen opened fire nearby. The child was wounded in her abdomen. After receiving treatment in New Providence, she was airlifted to a hospital in Texas where she underwent surgery and a series of rounds of physical therapy.

Catherine Williams, a resident of The Bluff, also thinks that more police presence is needed.

“I know there was a time when we had a police inspector here and if he saw a strange face in the area he would start asking you questions,” Ms Williams said. “I think we need more of that and more police involvement. In my community, it’s very rare that you see a police officer. They might drive through every now and then. One time ago you would see police officers riding through the communities. We need more police presence and some night patrol.

“They could probably do a little more of that. Once they see strangers around, just question them and find out what’s going on. The crime has us a little paranoid, because you never heard of things like that happening here and you ask the question, ‘Where next?’ Because Hatchet Bay was close and then you know we had the murder in Lower Bogue. So it’s like, ‘What next?’ It really has us on the edge.”