By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

WITH repeated pledges to take policing to “another level,” Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said yesterday he intends to reduce the country’s murder count below 100.

Commissioner Fernander revealed his 2023 policing plan at a press conference where he outlined six key priorities to impact crime trends.

He reiterated that police are focused on maintaining law and order, preserving the peace, preventing and detecting crime, apprehending offenders, and enforcing the law.

The commissioner noted that this year, and specifically the month of March, police will “flood the streets” in an effort to upset crime trends and tackle gun violence in the country.

Yesterday, Commissioner Fernander revealed the country’s murder count as 15, noting that the overall crime numbers have indicated a decrease in crime thus far.

However, he also advised that the country is currently challenged with murder cases that increased in 2022, calling March of last year “the bloodiest month in history” as 22 murders were recorded.

 He pledged that his force will remain committed to keeping the murder count under 100 this year, as it is the goal of the RBPF to “stem the fear of crime”.

 “While our overall crime numbers indicate a decrease in crime,” Commissioner Fernander said yesterday.

 “We are still challenged with murder cases, which increased in 2022. There were 22 murders in March 2022, which represents the highest number of homicides ever recorded for a single month in the history of the Bahamas.

 “We cannot afford to ever repeat this tragedy, the bloodiest month in history. Our goal is to hold the line and reduce the overall number of homicides for 2023 to double digits. We want to stem the fear of crime and this starts now.”

 When asked by the media about the target number for this year’s murder count, Commissioner Fernander was unable to say.

 “I don’t have no number in mind. I wish it could have been, you know, at a zero,” he said yesterday. “But we see what is happening, and we are trying to stop that trend.”

 The commissioner’s plan noted objectives for each of the six priorities, starting with plans for revolutionising community policing.

 The plan states that the goal is to amplify police presence throughout The Bahamas through community walkabouts; engage community members and funnel intelligence gathered through community led initiatives among others.

 Additionally, the police force plans to take a zero-tolerance approach to minor and major crimes by increasing concentrated saturation patrols in hotspot communities, expanding Operation Ceasefire and targeting prolific criminals, drug peddlers, repeat offenders and establishing a monitoring unit to monitor suspects being electronically monitored.

 Commissioner Fernander expressed his confidence in this year’s policing plan, noting that consistency is vital.

 “We have consistency and to sustain, and we are hoping that the other stakeholders will be able to assist in this regard to hold the line,” he said yesterday at the press conference.

“And we continue to say to other members of the public to work along with our police, and with that, and those points and consistency, with working with members of the public, I believe we will reach that goal.”

 Additionally, the commissioner’s policing plan adds that the force will expand several of its youth focused policing programmes, including its police cadet programme, Just Adolescent Mentorship Movement (JAMM) and Second Chance programme and others.

 Yesterday the chief of police revealed that the majority of the persons committing these heinous crimes tend to be between the ages of 15 through 25.

 “They are young people, we are trying not only with a view of picking them up and charging them, but if they commit crime, obviously they will be charged, but we are trying to partner with them,” he said.

 “And that’s where targeting our youth with a view or steering them away from the life of crime, and that’s where Urban Renewal comes in, and all of the other partners we have — the community, NGOs, the churches within the area, and the different youth groups and different reach outreach programmes that we have, for a second chance.”