Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton has kicked off a series of public meetings designed to gauge what people want from the service.
Cayman Brac played host to the first of eight meetings over almost two weeks designed to ask the public what matters to them.
Speeding was raised at the meeting, with Carla French, expressing concerns about cars and trucks travelling too fast.
French, whose husband Thomas is pastor at the Church of God on Cotton Tree Bay Road, told the meeting that she lived near West End Primary School and drivers regularly ignored the 15-mph speed limit in the area.
She added that the flashing speed warning signs highlighting the school zone were either “not working at all or they are on 24/7 and no one pays any attention to them” and that nighttime speeding was also a problem.
French noted that on “Thursday night, Friday night and Saturday night, when the bars close”, vehicles travelled at high speeds.
She said, “We’ve run out to try and see who it is, but they go so fast. You can’t see who it is and it’s scary.”
Community engagement
Walton said he had arranged similar meetings about two years ago, and they had been useful.
“The important bit here for me is about that community engagement,” he said.
Walton told the public, “Tell us what it is within your respective district what matters to you, what’s impacting your lives.
“Really, this is about getting down in the communities, speaking with the people, finding out what is going on in their community.”
He added, “We have seen a lot of good work over the past two years … nothing is possible without our community policing. We have to work with the community.
“We police by consent and it’s important that we engage with our community while we carry out our duties.”
Walton was joined at the meeting by Superintendent Roje Williams, responsible for service delivery, and Inspector Leslie Laing-Hall, area commander for the Brac.
Laing-Hall said that Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were “special places” and that Walton recognised that.
The inspector added, “We are here to set an example for other districts to follow and I’m happy that he actually chose these wonderful islands to start these meetings.”
Additional meetings
The next meeting was held at the Public Works office in Little Cayman on 26 May at 11am, followed by meeting in East End on 27 May. The meeting in North Side will start at 7pm on 28 May at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre.
The focus then moves to Bodden Town’s Webster’s Church Hall at 7pm on Monday, 1 June, and to Newlands/Savannah at the Joanna Clarke Primary School the following day at the same time.
George Town will get its turn on 3 June at 7pm in Constitution Hall, and West Bay will have its meeting in the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School at the same time on 4 June.
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