By Jacqueline.Carpenter From RCIPS

Officers made twenty-two arrests during a weekend of serious incidents, eighteen of which were made on Friday night and early Saturday morning. The weekend was fraught with serious incidents, including the first murder since July 2015 and a fatal motor-vehicle accident early Sunday morning. Updates will follow with respect to these, however, other incidents from the weekend are highlighted below.

Early this morning, Monday, 3 October, a man was arrested in Prospect. during a police operation. The man, age 25 of George Town, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an unlicensed firearm and attempted murder, in connection with an incident that occurred on 17 September near a nightclub.

Late afternoon on Friday, 30 September, officers conducted a proactive operation at an address on Birch Tree Hill in West Bay, and the premises were searched. As a result of that operation, two men, both from West Bay, ages 30 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of possession and consumption of ganja.

Around 1:15AM Sunday morning, 2 October, officers conducting radar duties on West Bay Road in the vicinity of The Avalon Condominiums observed a speeding silver BMW. They followed the vehicle and activated their emergency lights and siren, signalling the driver to stop. The driver did not comply, and continued toward George Town, using the Esterley Tibbetts Highway and Frank Sound Road. Taking into account several factors, including light traffic on the roads, officers continued a coordinated pursuit of the vehicle to Grand Harbour with other police vehicles in the area. The driver stopped in the vicinity of Red Bay Dock, where he was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, DUI, possession and consumption of ganja, and refusing to provide a specimen. The man, age 25 of Bodden Town, is currently in Police custody.

Around 8:30PM Sunday evening, 2 October, officers and emergency personnel responded to a report of an overturned car on Bodden Town Road near the Sea Palm Villas. The driver of the vehicle, a white Toyota Land cruiser, was outside the vehicle when police arrived, with minor injuries. He was treated for his injuries at hospital and warned for prosecution after refusing to provide a specimen for analysis to determine if he was under the influence of drug or alcohol. While police and fire were on-scene, another vehicle collided into the fire truck, which was parked with lights flashing. A man, age 90, was driving the vehicle and unhurt. Officers also attended to this collision.

In addition to all of these incidents, officers also made arrests for five assaults, four of which were domestic in nature, in addition to two arrests for assaulting and obstructing police during officers’ attempt to mediate a domestic disturbance in George Town. One man, age 25 of West Bay, was also arrested for carrying a restricted weapon outside of a nightclub in Marquee Plaza.

Anthony Ennis, Acting Commissioner of Police, commented on the weekend’s incidents. “Officers continue to tackle serious incidents involving violence while working heroically to save life, as was the case involving the man who died from gunshot wounds in the earlier hours of Saturday morning after he left a nightclub.

“We are concerned about drivers who put other road users at risk by fleeing apprehension when given a lawful command to stop at a police checkpoint, as well as the growing anti-social and dangerous activities at certain places of entertainment. Some nightclubs do a good job discouraging these activities and excluding known persons of ill-repute from their premises, which they have a legal right and duty to do. Others, however, have not shown any interest in curbing these activities, while their premises continue to present a growing threat to public safety and their patrons, especially along the island’s tourist corridor.

“We will increase our visibility and presence in and around these premises, but we will also be engaging the relevant licensing authorities, including the Fire Service, to ensure that these premises are not in violation of any statutory code. If they are operating a business that presents a danger to the public, appropriate actions should be taken.

“We cannot sacrifice valuable resources to police these premises at the expense of the greater community.

“We are further concerned about the level and standard of services provided by certain security personnel at certain establishments, and will be addressing this with a comprehensive and practical approach.

“Finally, persons arrested for fleeing or obstructing a police officer in the line of his or her duty can expect swift prosecution which might require detention until the next court appearance. And the carrying of any weapon on to a place of entertainment, including edge weapons, is a criminal offence and persons found in possession of any of these weapons will be arrested and charged.”

END

IMAGE: RCIPS  FILE (East End)