Prime Minister Stephenson King announced yesterday that the government is seeking help from the New York Police Department in dealing with the crime situation here. In a statement aired on RCI’s NewsSpin program the prime minister said the New York police have expressed their willingness to help.
Said King in the statement that emanated originally from the Government Information Service: “We made an initial approach to the NYPD Precinct 67 and follow up is taking place now through out Mission in New York. We have already approached the US Embassy and we have indicated to them our interaction with the NYPD Precinct 67 and they have now formally communicated to us, requesting a further proposal in writing formally for them to make the necessary approaches to the NYPD. Of course you must understand the structure of the United States government. You have the federal government and you have the state government and within the state you then have the city government under which the NYPD Precinct 67 falls. What we have done basically is to go to the Precinct and we have been speaking to the Commissioner and others who have indicated initially that they are willing to participate; they have got men who are eager to do the exchanges and to come and assist us here in St Lucia. Now, we have gone to the top, to the federal government and they will channel the request to the Precinct to make the necessary arrangements for their men to come to St Lucia.”
The prime minister said they had requested more from the United States including assistance “in the area of hardware and in the area of human resource development—training our police officers in crime scene management, intelligence and in other areas that can strengthen their ability and capacity in dealing with the problems we have here in St Lucia.”
PM King also stated that the government has made a formal approach to the Israeli government who have responded positively. He mentioned three areas in which the Israelis would assist.
Said King: “We have also at the regional level presented to the OECS a proposal for the consideration of making crime and security within the region a priority. As a consequence St Lucia has called for the establishment of a security desk at the Secretariat and the formulation of programs that we can institutionalize in helping the respective governments of the OECS in fighting crime at the local level.”
The PM said it was decided that the OECS proceed with such programs. He added that St Lucia was also collaborating with Trinidad on the issue of protecting our borders. The PM said two radar systems have been secured to help detect vessels coming in with illegal supplies.
“The government is the one to lead the way, we must do what is necessary,” said King.
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