Minister for Grand Bahama Dr. Michael Darville said that it has been confirmed by Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Emrick Seymour that crime is down by 49 percent since September 2016 in Grand Bahama.

The minister for Grand Bahama was speaking on behalf of the Minister for National Security, Dr. Bernard Nottage, who was unable to attend the Royal Bahamas Police Force annual church service, which was held on Sunday.

“While this news is most reassuring, we must not become complacent, but use this success as a motivational tool to work even harder and more diligently to ensure that our nation remains safe for all, and violent crime is eliminated from our society.”

“Through initiatives like Urban Renewal 2.0, we’ve ensured law enforcement has a consistent presence in our communities to address the needs of urban development and the empowering of our nation’s youth,” Mr. Darville said.

The service was represented by all levels of law enforcement within the northern region, including the police, the Defence Force, Customs, Immigration and the Road Traffic Department.

He noted that far too often police officers are overworked and in many instances underpaid. This, he admitted, is a serious challenge facing the public service.

“We’ve built the trust of community leaders to work with law enforcement, which resulted in an increase in apprehending offenders and bringing them to justice.”

“The government understands the needs of our law enforcement agencies and officers and remains committed to ensuring that the people behind the badges and stripes are respected and have the tools necessary to get the job done,” Mr. Darville said .

“Officers, oftentimes your work is unacknowledged, but know that it is never unappreciated and never goes unnoticed by many of us in the community you serve.

“We don’t say it often enough, but today, on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas and the people of Grand Bahama, to each and every single law enforcement officer present here ‘thank you!’  thank you for the continued service to our community.

“Thank you for your continued dedication to protecting the lives of our people. Thank you for your continued sacrifice of the time you spend away from your family to ensure that the families of this country can live in a peaceful and a safe environment,” Mr. Darville said.

Mr. Darville noted that one of the most important aspects of a strong and progressive society are safe communities and the presence of competent, hardworking law enforcement officials to ensure the law is upheld and that the rights of citizens are protected.