Outgoing Commissioner of Police Edvin Martin has rejected the notion that Grenada has been over-run by criminal activities.
Martin, who started his pre-retirement leave on Thursday, was attending a government press conference along with Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dickon Mitchell and Deputy Commissioner of Police Don McKenzie who was appointed to act as the island’s new chief cop.
His comment on the issue came against the backdrop of recent brutal murders on the island especially with the use of the cutlass.
According to Martin, “all is not lost” and he referred to statistics which showed that there has been a reduction in sexual crimes against women and children in Grenada by 64% at the end of the first quarter of the year when compared with the corresponding period in 2022.
“We do have a reduction in criminal activities,” he said.
Commissioner Martin told reporters that the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) is grappling with a challenge in the area of violent crimes and the possession of illegal firearms.
“What we need is that persons in the community know the problem, who are responsible for the problem and the need to partner with us to help us address that problem,” he said.
“We need to take cognisant of the fact as well that we have an individual responsibility to protect ourselves from becoming victims of crime,” he added.
Martin lamented the fact that many Grenadians are still leaving their vehicles open and then complain to the police that they lost articles and personal items among other things.
In addition, he said that several people are leaving their houses unlocked because they still feel that Grenada is a very safe place and opening up themselves to become easy victims of the criminals.
He pointed out that the circumstances have changed and as such “our attitudes must change particularly as it relates to criminality.”
“…Things have changed and our attitudes have to change to criminality … what can we do to protect ourselves first and secondly how can we better partner with the police to ensure safer communities and societies.”
Commissioner Martin suggested that a simple thing as having a dog at home “is a very helpful thing” in keeping the criminals at bay.
He urged the local population to ponder on the following: “…How are we going to harden our respective positions and what are we doing to prevent ourselves first from becoming victims of crimes?”