Urgent letter to the Honourable Prime Minister Gaston Brown, the Honourable Attorney General Benjamin, the Honourable Chief of Police Rodney, the Honourable Deputy Chief of Police Jeffers

Urgent letter to the Honourable Prime Minister Gaston Brown, the Honourable Attorney General Benjamin, the Honourable Chief of Police Rodney, the Honourable Deputy Chief of Police Jeffers

I would urge you, if you want to demonstrate that you are a good leader, to take immediate responsibility for the high crime rates associated with inherently dangerous crimes. I would also urge others to stop shifting the blame to the judiciary, which has significantly less discretion, resources and ability to prevent, deter and limit the opportunities for crimes against the public.

The above leaders must make it clear that they can have more impact on crime than any other part of the criminal justice system. Therefore they MUST be blamed more for the increasing brutal and inherently dangerous crimes in Antigua and Barbuda than any other part of the local criminal justice system, no matter what. They have the tool to obstruct and intercept criminal activity.

Instead of blaming the court/judge/jurors/people (only), the police should hire and listen to experts (those with advanced degrees and exceptional skills in related fields) who MUST be at the helm of these important parts of the criminal justice system. I will not be applying for these jobs to show my intent to say that these things are not said because I want or need something (trust me on this, I do not). I say this only for the betterment of Antigua and Barbuda and frankly, to give the government that implements these recommendations the recognition and support they would deserve from the public.

I have said before that the police and military in Antigua and Barbuda are mostly muscle (doing the heavy lifting on the rare occasions that they do), but these agencies also need a brain. The brain would be called the Intelligence and National Security Unit (INSU), which is made up of brilliant and well-educated people with advanced degrees in related fields such as science, mathematics, electronics, technology, social sciences, police science, forensic science, national security, international relations, law, criminal justice, criminology, victimology, and so on. Other fields can be added as needed.

This section of INSU advises the Prime Minister, the Attorney General, the Legislature, the Cabinet, the Army, the Chief of Police, the Deputy Commissioner, etc. on national security and intelligence (internal and external).

Antigua and Barbuda should organize the police into divisions headed by a police commissioner advised by this INSU. This police division should be divided into:

Intelligence and National Security Unit (INSU) is the brain of all matters related to intelligence and national security (including the security of senior government officials) and is primarily intended for Criminal Analysis to conduct advanced and complex analysis of criminals and their networks in support of police investigations and investigative priorities. This unit also develops and supports crime prevention locally, investigations, initiatives and operations conducted or supported locally by law enforcement agencies and builds relationships with foreign law enforcement partners. This unit also leads law enforcement efforts to identify, disrupt and dismantle national security threats, terrorist organizations and hostile foreign intelligence services, not only local crime prevention and reduction of opportunities to commit crimes locally.

It is time for government and its agencies to think big instead of government continuing to think small with their solution to crime which is essentially placing unjust/false blame on a court/judge/jury instead of themselves who have the means and authority to literally obstruct and intercept criminal activity. We all know that criminals don’t care what the law says, it is actually the reason they commit crimes in the first place. So no matter what the law says about punishment, it will not deter criminals one bit. There are laws against theft now, does theft no longer exist? NO. If you impose the death penalty for petty theft, do you think theft will stop? No.

Therefore, the sentence of a judge has almost no effect on the reduction of crime, while the ability of the Attorney General, Prime Minister and police to stop, obstruct, intercept and hinder criminals with the means and authority they have, has considerably more impact. So if you want to blame someone for the rising crime, I regret to inform you that you are the one who must take the blame. Furthermore, the government determines the sentence in the legislature.

Other units that the Antigua and Barbuda Police Force should include, like other powerful agencies internationally, are:

Administrative Operations (OAO) provides domestic and international police departments with budget preparation, budget execution, financial oversight, acquisitions and procurement, personnel management and other administrative services.

Domestic Operations (DO) manages, directs, coordinates and supports all investigative activities of local police departments.

The Center for Combating Human Trafficking (CCHT) promotes anti-trafficking law enforcement, protects victims, and improves prevention efforts by aligning law enforcement capabilities and expertise.

The fight against transnational organised crime (CTOC) supports investigations and operations related to transnational crime, financial and drug crimes, human trafficking and smuggling, public security and labour exploitation.

Cyber ​​​​and Operational Technology (COT) oversees investigations into internet-related crime, including cybercrime and child exploitation. It also manages initiatives that combine information sharing and technology between various local law enforcement agencies.

Global Trade monitors and supports investigations under U.S. import and export laws to ensure national security, protect public health, and stop predatory and illegal trade practices.

If the government (the prime minister, the attorney general, the police chief and deputy police commission, the legislature) took these simple and basic measures first, they may be able to blame others. But even then, they still have the most impact and contact with criminals, so they still get the blame.

Seek out experts immediately, as an ABLP member is fond of saying when that ABLP member isn’t threatening to kill people (me) for speaking out about what is needed for crime prevention or telling people (me) to seek expert mental health help (just because that person (me) sees areas in crime reduction that desperately need local innovation). So I will recommend the same here, but it really applies in this case: seek out expert help in social and police science for the benefit of the nation of Antigua and Barbuda before you try to blame an entity that has significantly less impact on crime reduction than you (PM, AG, legislature and the police command).

To me it makes sense. What you say about the judge/jury/court also makes sense to people with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice, and/or a law degree.

The above article will further endanger my life, but I said this, I really had to stand up for this. Hire the experts, put them where they are best. It is a matter of national security. That is why the government uses executive orders to make it easier to give people with college degrees legal immigration status, because in that executive order it says it is a matter of national security to have the best where the best need to be..

I will be busy for a few months, business is going well. But this is just my way of helping. It would be for people with intelligence.

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