Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade urging members of society to be very cautious when placing blame on young persons with regards to serious offenses as he states it is adults committing outrageous crimes.

Mr. Greenslade during the launch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) 26th Annual Summer Youth Program said under his tenure he has never witnessed a young person be at fault for serious crimes.

“I want to disavow people of that because we take all of our well intentioned young people and we put them all in the same category in that is unfair,” Mr. Greenslade said.

“There are a lot of young people involved in sporting activities and doing things that are very positive across the sphere of this country and it is unfair to continue to put them all in a box.”

Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage also took the time to encourage students to maximize the opportunities provided to them via summer programs like this one.

“I believe that all of us are exposed to the word of God, all of us pray when we go to school when in the United States they aren’t even allowed to pray,” he said.

“I want you to as young as you are, this is the time in your life when you have to learn how to conduct yourself, how to get up in the morning, go to school, stay in school, try to learn your lesson, stay in school long enough to graduate and in the summer these opportunities are being provided to you so that you can have some positive things to do, develop good friendships with others and learn how to grow up in a God-fearing and disciplined way.”

Remaining devoted to its mission of inspiring and enabling young people especially those products of disadvantaged circumstances to maximize their full potential the RBPF officially launched its 23rd annual six week program during a service Monday morning at the Bethel Baptist Church on Meeting Street.

The official opening ended with the students marching to the Police Headquarter on East Street led by their own marching band.