Newlands Gets Increased Police Presence

Mr. Alva Suckoo, Newlands MLA says he is working to make his constituency of Newlands the safest in the Cayman Islands. This announcement comes on the heels of a meeting he recently requested with the new District Area Commander of the RCIPS, Mr. Fernando Soto.

Mr. Suckoo recently announced to members of his constituency via his WhatsApp Group that the RCIPS has agreed to increasing the hours that the community officers patrol the constituency, stating that coverage will now go beyond the 6:00pm cut-off and will extend into the morning hours.

“I have been receiving reports of suspicious activities at night from constituents, some of these were quite alarming and included persons dressed in dark clothing moving from property to property and attempting to enter cars and homes. I am also aware of incidents where persons have been approaching constituents, who may be out for early morning exercise, and attempting to engage them by asking questions that made the persons uncomfortable and suspicious” Mr. Suckoo stated.

“We also have a few areas where people tend to congregate and or frequent for illegal purposes and these will now be given more attention by the RCIPS.” Suckoo added.

Mr. Suckoo also states that he, along with the RCIPS, will be working to increase the number of CCTV cameras in Newlands and that he has requested assistance from the police with conducting safety assessments in areas that are poorly lit. He said these assessments will be used to request improved street lighting from the Government.

“People are feeling anxious and concerned in the constituency and we do not want the situation to lead to people feeling that they have to barricade themselves in their homes at night to feel safe. I want my constituents to have the confidence that their safety and security is a priority. We want communities where residents socialize, feel safe, and are not afraid to let their children go outside” Mr. Suckoo said.

Grateful for the prompt and effective response from the RCIPS, Mr. Suckoo adds, “The community policing initiative is working, we have a number of very good officers assigned to us and I see the initiative is paying off. We must continue to build on this relationship and encourage residents to cooperate and communicate with the police. I am also pleased to be working with Mr. Soto who has already started implementing some critical improvements, including working to increase the number of officers in the Eastern districts.”