Second Officer In Charge of the Eleuthera Division of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), Superintendent Frederick Sands, during an interview in late November, highlighted that during the last two months, Eleuthera had seen a significant decrease in crime – in all areas. However, he had a strong message for the Eleuthera public, with the island approaching the Christmas and winter travel seasons, saying, “We expect an influx of both international and domestic travelers to the island. In that vein, we are going to increase patrols, especially within the commercial districts – paying special attention to those areas.
“People will see more police presence on the street. We are going to be vigilant, and we are going to do what it takes to maintain law and order. We expect the corporate community to be on the alert also for anything strange that may seem out of place. We will try our best to keep the peace through both the prevention and detection of crime, which is one of our primary mandates.”
Offering several tips for businesses to take note of this season, Superintendent Sands advised, “Businesses should have lights around their property, especially after dark, now that evenings come early. Extra security guards can be hired. Surveillance cameras are also very good to have in place. Make sure they are maintained and are working – as they assist greatly if something happens. It is not advised that you keep alot of cash on hand – make frequent deposits. As a Police Officer, I go into a number of places, and ask, why do you need to have all that cash in your drawer. The same thing I am doing, the criminal will do. They will come and scout you out.
“So we ask businesses to be cognizant of who is around you – people coming in and out, strangers. It is no secret now that you have alot of criminal elements out of Nassau penetrating these islands. We have eyes on them, and we are going to be out there disrupting their movements every chance we have.”
To the residents of Eleuthera, as well as second home owners, Superintendent Sands, expressed strongly that homes and properties should be properly secured. He empathized with the traditional practice of moving freely, leaving places unsecured. However, he warned that the island had and was still seeing a significant number of crimes of opportunity. “So, we ask that you assist the Police as much as possible by not giving criminals the opportunity. Secure your residences, as well as your business places,” said Sands.
The Superintendent had an even stronger message about safety on the road, as he urged the driving public to be safe in everything that they did. “Do not drink and drive. The traffic laws have now been amended. You cannot have open bottles of alcohol in your vehicle. You cannot be on your phone. Seatbelts must be worn. You must adhere to the speed limits, because we are not giving anyone breaks. This is your break and your warning now. Small things lead to big things, so, we are clamping down on those small things.”
“Lately,” he added, “We’ve seen alot of traffic incidents with vehicles turning over. We believe it is related to speeding and alcohol. So, we are going to put our three motorcycles on the road, and we are going to be vigilant – to get the speeding and traffic accidents down on this island. We know this is the festive season, where people go out and have fun, but we are asking that if you drink, do not drive – have a designated driver. Be responsible, as the life you save may be your very own. So, have fun, but be careful about it.”
Superintendent Sands summed up, saying that the Police would be there for the public, to do all that they possibly could. “We will spare no effort – this is what we do, and we enjoy doing it.”
