Police chief outlines plan to tackle gun crime, improve safety

The Barbados Police Service is confronting a surge in gun violence with a six-point policing strategy unveiled by Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce, aimed at curbing firearm-related offences and bolstering public safety.

Strengthening organisational resilience is also part of the strategy shared by Commissioner Boyce during the force’s Annual Grand Conference on Monday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

He described the new priorities as critical to addressing the island’s record levels of gun violence and evolving security threats.

“Unfortunately, we have to redouble our efforts in winning the battle against the various players in the illegal firearm mix — the traffickers, the suppliers, the users, the stashers, and also those persons who conspire with other persons to perpetuate and perpetrate in their relationships with these weapons,” he said.

In addition to firearm suppression and operational resilience, the strategy includes leveraging technology for effective policing, improving public safety and investigations, boosting traffic enforcement, and building community trust.

The action plan comes as gun-related offences drive Barbados to its highest-ever murder rate last year — rising from 21 to 49 — alongside an overall increase in firearm-related incidents, which grew by 14 per cent from 351 in 2023 to 401.

Boyce, however, emphasised that the police cannot tackle the crisis alone.

“The fight to win the battle against firearms will require countrywide support. The Police working in tandem with the Barbados Defence Force will not be able to do it on their own,” he said, while publicly thanking the BDF for its ongoing assistance.

He further noted that despite grim statistics, several positive developments have been achieved. Commercial burglaries fell by 20 per cent, thefts from vehicles dropped by 32 per cent, livestock theft was halved, and domestic violence-related offences declined by 20 per cent.

The ending of police attendance at non-injury and minor injury accidents has freed up manpower and improved efficiency, the commissioner announced.

As a result, the number of traffic accidents dropped from 6 989 in 2023 to 4 472 in 2024 — a 20 per cent decrease. Following the September 2024 policy change, there was an 87 per cent drop in reported incidents during the final months of the year.

“This meant officers were able to pay more attention to their deployment in specific areas of concern without having to be called away to attend minor accidents,” he added.

Boyce also pointed to the Police Service’s growing use of digital tools such as body-worn cameras, dashboard cameras in vehicles, speech-to-text digital note-taking at crime scenes, and expanded CCTV coverage as critical measures for improving transparency, coverage, and public service.

The two-day conference, held under the theme Proud of Our Legacy, Vision for the Future: 190 Years of Tradition and Transformation, brought together several officers from the Barbados Police Service to provide the country with a policing plan that embraces a robust transformation agenda for 2025.

Delivering the keynote address, Attorney General Dale Marshall stressed that policing strategies must remain relevant in a society where both criminal activity and public attitudes are shifting.

“New forms of criminal conduct are ever before us, and it is key, therefore, that your policing strategies remain relevant in a rapidly changing landscape,” he told officers. He warned that criminals are now more sophisticated and brazen in their use of firearms.

Marshall also highlighted changes in public attitudes towards law enforcement. He noted that officers are increasingly confronted or obstructed while performing their duties — a stark contrast to earlier generations when police authority was respected without question.

He further emphasised collaboration across sectors as essential for responding effectively to crime. He cited the work of the recently formed Advisory Council on Citizen Security, which is reviewing anti-gang legislation across the region to support stronger national policies.

Marshall revealed that discussions are underway with an international training team to deliver large-scale development for officers. He also commended the Police Service for its reaccreditation by the Commission on Law Enforcement Agencies.

“The country is relying on the Police Service to do for another 190 years what you have so ably done for the last 190,” Marshall said.

“You must adopt a strategic focus on delivering policing services in what has become a dynamic society.”

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb