Quick Response to start again
with ‘zero tolerance’ attitude
PHILIPSBURG--In an effort to restore calm to the community of St. Maarten which has been faced of late with a series of criminal activities ranging from gang-related fights to thefts, Police Commissioner Marcel Loor, has announced that Operation Quick Response will be restarted with a “zero tolerance policy.”
The intention is to make more arrests, have more frequent and more consistent controls and, according to Loor, “We will push our luck and be present on the streets of St. Maarten at the times when crimes are committed, to increase our chances of catching the bad guys.”
“For the coming months I am going to be back on the streets of St. Maarten,” Loor told reporters at a press conference at the Phillipsburg police station Tuesday. The commissioner, who was once the Chief of Immigration on the island and is now head of the Uniformed Division, was known for his consistent Immigration-led controls. He said there was a general consensus that during that time fewer crimes had been committed and fewer criminals had been on the streets.
He was joined in the press conference by Section Head of the Surveillance Department in Philipsburg Chief Inspector Carl John and police spokesman Inspector Ricardo Henson.
Loor said, “If you go back to the controls, I expect crime would be less.” He declined to comment when asked whether there was a new policy in place with the new head of the Immigration Department that called for fewer controls. He only said, “I am going to do what I love to do, which is controls.”
The police officers assigned to Operation Quick Response will act in the same manner as they did in November 2006 when the programme was launched: they will be constantly visible in business and shopping areas, and will control gangs and large gatherings. Loor said they would be operating with a “zero tolerance” attitude.
He said they would also deal with specific matters in specific instances, and gave as an example an open letter sent by Teen Times members to the police complaining about the harassment they received from a group of thugs who lurked around Sunset Theatres.
Loor said, “These people will be visited by the Quick Response team and will learn that they cannot simply destroy the fun time of others who would simply wish to enjoy the movies.”
He said there would be visits to areas identified as “hot spots” by the Police Intelligence Division and by the Criminal Investigation Department CID. He also said visits would be made to schools, but this will be done in close cooperation with the schools’ management to learn what their specific problems were so they could be tackled immediately.
The programme will be consistently revisited to determine more intense controls and more specific approaches. He said he looked forward to an improved working relationship with all stakeholders in the fight against crime and noted that the operation had the full support of the Prosecutor’s Office. He also said the issue of space in the jail cells had the full attention of the police and the Prosecutor’s Office and they would work according to the hand they were dealt.
Chief Inspector John will be Loor’s “right-hand man” in overseeing the operation. He said special attention would be paid to gangs and to groups of young men gathering in public areas where they aren’t allowed to. But he was clear in stating that this will be done in accordance with the law, and that no police officer would exceed his authority. He said, “If we have to come to chase you away every day, we will do so.”
He said it was important that the police have the full support of the law-abiding citizens of St. Maarten. He said controls inevitably were very difficult and often police officers had to make quick decisions and had to take certain precautions to ensure their and the general public’s safety during the controls.
He said though, that while some might want to claim they were being treated harshly by police, the officers had strict instructions to be firm and resolute, but to remain respectful of each citizen’s rights. He warned that those who resisted the authority of the police would have only themselves to blame when faced with the consequences of their actions or inaction.
John said the team of Quick Response officers would not be confined to desks and would be identifiable by their blue polo shirts. Some juggling has been done to maximise the number of police officers out on duty around the island at any given time.
He asked that the general public do its part by taking precautions against theft. They should also avoid carrying large sums of money and, amongst other things, avoid leaving the keys in the ignition while away from vehicles,
When asked how the police will ensure that the public is not faced with extortion acts from police similar to the ones that landed two police officers behind bars in December, Loor said it was clear from their actions that the police were capable of cleaning their own backyard, so there should be no need to fear.
He said police officers such as himself, John, Henson and many others were always available and could be approached with any complaints, which would be looked into. John encouraged people within the community to send in information about the specific concerns they have pertaining to criminal activity in their area.
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