The Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Associations (CFPWA) began its 11th annual general meeting in Saint Lucia Wednesday, focussing on the safety and welfare of police officers amid a violent crime surge in the region.
The President of Saint Lucia’s Police Welfare Association, Camron Laure, observed that crime directly impacts the welfare and safety of officers.
“We are going to be speaking on crime as it relates to the welfare of police officers when we go out there,” Laure explained.
He noted that policing is a dangerous job.
“When you leave your home in the morning you’re not sure you’ll be returning in one piece,” Laure stated.
Laure also said work conditions, the need for modern equipment, and police officers’ salaries were down for discussion at the Saint Lucia meeting.
He disclosed that the CFPWA would present recommendations from the Saint Lucia meeting to the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police.
The CFPWA annual general meeting theme is: ‘Building and Sustaining Police Officers’ Welfare in the Caribbean for Better Societies across the Region.’
The session ends on Friday.
If you are serious about crime fighting here is what you need to consider.
There was a time when crime was not so rampant in our society. Why? Because people cared for each other, looking out for each other and had family and community values which most people cherished and valued…
Crime grew out of the vacuum left when family and community values was no longer respected and out of the poor and sad economic stagnation affecting people day in day out for decades…there was no hope, no prospects, no way of getting out of the poverty hole and therefore greed set in out of frustration. Plus, successive governments were clueless out hope to institute policies that guided society to evolve in a manner that was Community oriented….most played politics with the lives of people and they still do…
A remedy to the crime situation.
Make it law that every citizen attain at least a secondary school education. Those who are struggling academically should be given every opportunity to attain academic qualifications or acquire skills that are beneficial to society..
Increase the job pool by implementing jobs that are not traditional to Saint Lucia. Not everyone can be doctors, lawyers, bankers, nurses, dentist, police officers the usual go to professions, where about opening up science and technology hubs where we can innovate stuff that are uniquely Saint Lucian?
If citizens are well brought up in a society, there would be no need for police officers but the crime cat is already out of the bag…. therefore, train the police to be a humanitarian force, not a brutal force, giving them the necessary tools needed to do the job. However, when the need arises where there are criminal elements at play who appear to have an arsenal fit for a military, the full force of the entire Nations legal and military apparatus should fall full force on the perpetrators…and a swift justice implemented… criminals should be made to feel crime is a terrible act to commit.
Community awareness and togetherness..this needs to be brought back… institute policies that encourage unity, such as community games, get the young into theatres ( Sir Derek Walcott was a strong advocate of this), the arts, what about a competition for the community with the best flower arrangements/ garden?….Make Castries a garden city and rid the city of vehicles…a garden city will significantly improve the mental wellbeing of citizens with trees and flowers encouraging birds and wild life. …..things a too close together in the city where people can walk to get what they need… And if it’s hot, a garden city will provide the shade people need as they go about they business. ..vehicles can be on the outs skirts of the city with shuttle buses taking people to and from the city to their vehicles on the outskirts….that will significantly reduce traffic in the city…
We need people with vision that can move a stagnated country forward….too much politics with the lives of people….
Bring back night life in the city…al fresco dining, restaurants, clubs, cinema, entertainment etc etc..
If you are serious about crime fighting here is what you need to consider.
There was a time when crime was not so rampant in our society. Why? Because people cared for each other, looking out for each other and had family and community values which most people cherished and valued…
Crime grew out of the vacuum left when family and community values was no longer respected and out of the poor and sad economic stagnation affecting people day in day out for decades…there was no hope, no prospects, no way of getting out of the poverty hole and therefore greed set in out of frustration. Plus, successive governments were clueless out hope to institute policies that guided society to evolve in a manner that was Community oriented….most played politics with the lives of people and they still do…
A remedy to the crime situation.
Make it law that every citizen attain at least a secondary school education. Those who are struggling academically should be given every opportunity to attain academic qualifications or acquire skills that are beneficial to society..
Increase the job pool by implementing jobs that are not traditional to Saint Lucia. Not everyone can be doctors, lawyers, bankers, nurses, dentist, police officers the usual go to professions, where about opening up science and technology hubs where we can innovate stuff that are uniquely Saint Lucian?
If citizens are well brought up in a society, there would be no need for police officers but the crime cat is already out of the bag…. therefore, train the police to be a humanitarian force, not a brutal force, giving them the necessary tools needed to do the job. However, when the need arises where there are criminal elements at play who appear to have an arsenal fit for a military, the full force of the entire Nations legal and military apparatus should fall full force on the perpetrators…and a swift justice implemented… criminals should be made to feel crime is a terrible act to commit.
Community awareness and togetherness..this needs to be brought back… institute policies that encourage unity, such as community games, get the young into theatres ( Sir Derek Walcott was a strong advocate of this), the arts, what about a competition for the community with the best flower arrangements/ garden?….Make Castries a garden city and rid the city of vehicles…a garden city will significantly improve the mental wellbeing of citizens with trees and flowers encouraging birds and wild life. …..things a too close together in the city where people can walk to get what they need… And if it’s hot, a garden city will provide the shade people need as they go about they business. ..vehicles can be on the outs skirts of the city with shuttle buses taking people to and from the city to their vehicles on the outskirts….that will significantly reduce traffic in the city…
We need people with vision that can move a stagnated country forward….too much politics with the lives of people….
Bring back night life in the city…al fresco dining, restaurants, clubs, cinema, entertainment etc etc..
There are more ideas but my post is already too long….
The inter-dependence of countries has brought about many changes in human behavior. This includes the acceptance of crime and the proceedes as a way of life. St. Lucia and Saint lucians are part of the dynamic, no exception. Policing in general need to change in response and effectively address these new issues. If not, policing will remain overwhelmed and lose the fight against the criminals and their sophistication. The regional meeting is a positive step, the issues chosen for discussion are good and organizers deserve commendation. In particular, the St. Lucia Police Welfare Association should appoint from among them an ad hoc team of knowledgeable and progressive officers to help identify ALL modern equipment needed locally and forward these recommendations to the Commissioner of Police. This should be followed by a series of meetings with the appropriate authorities for planning, budgeting, financing, sourcing, training, etc. Here therefore is the new road map for St. Lucia’s response to escalation of crime and its sophistication. The mere empowering of a police officer to deal with escalated acts of crimal activities as currently done in Vieux Fort is highly insufficient. Instead, establishment of a system with the necessary equipment is needed and the ideal.