From RCIPS

This week Community officers executed their tenth community clean-up so this year, this time in the Watler’s Road Community on Wednesday, 2 May. The initiatives began last year by community officers in West Bay who, in response to residents’ concerns, facilitated contacts and coordination among DEH, community groups and local businesses to bulldoze derelict buildings and also remove abandoned cars. Similar initiatives continued this year with further clean ups in West Bay and the George Town Waterfront, but extended to Earth Day clean-ups in Red Bay, Prospect, and Boatswain Beach; such clean-ups have now begun in other areas in George Town.

“The community has been very pleased with these clean-ups, and very involved in them as well,” said Robert Graham, Superintendent of Uniform Operations, “so our officers continued to facilitate and organize them with DEH and community groups in other districts. DEH has been pivotal in helping to make this happen, along with active residents.

“We are finding in our community policing programme so far that residents rank the beautification of their communities as one of their top priorities.”

This was the case in the Watler’s Road community last month, which falls in Beat 7 and where, during a community meeting with Minister Joey Hew and community officers, residents voiced their desire for such an initiative in their area. Last Wednesday this was also carried out with DEH and community officers, who removed garbage and some derelict cars. Officers also placed abatement notices on nine other cars.

“Beat officers are liaisons with the community and for the community, to help residents accomplish what they feel needs to get done in their area,” added Superintendent Graham.

Members of the public can now learn about the beat officers in their area and contact them through the RCIPS website at https://www.rcips.ky/community/