A murder and a number of gun-related offences overshadowed efforts by the RCIPS to clamp down on criminal behaviour over the holiday season as it conducted its annual ‘Operation Winter Guardian’ campaign.
A total of eight serious offences, which included the 7 Dec. murder of East End resident Sven Connor, were recorded during the seasonal operation, which began in December and ended on 2 Jan, 2024.
Anstacio Rankin and Roland Welcome Jr. have since been charged in connection with Connor’s murder.
Chief Superintendent Brad Ebanks, in a statement on the campaign, said although Cayman did not finish the year without serious incidents occurring, he was “encouraged by the response and support of the public regarding Operation Winter Guardian and the results we’ve seen from the disruptive measures we’ve put in place”.
Ebanks said it is “very difficult for us” to measure the prevention of crime, however, he stressed that officers worked diligently throughout the busy period keeping the community and the roadways safe.
“I believe that the operation was successful and well received…. However, this is no indication that we will reduce our vigilance or focus on curtailing serious crimes or our efforts to ensure roadways remain safe”, he continued.
More than 350 vehicle collisions
At Winter Guardian’s end, the RCIPS said officers had made 25 arrests in relation to driving under the influence of alcohol.
More than 350 reports of vehicle collisions and more than 250 traffic violations were recorded, and, of these, more than 100 were speeding offences.
Acknowledging that throughout 2023, there were public concerns regarding serious incidents such as armed robberies, especially those involving firearms, the RCIPS said Winter Guardian was conducted with the aim of increasing the visibility of the police and providing public reassurance during the holiday period.
Although it said there was more than a 30% decrease in the number of fatal collisions for 2023 in comparison to 2022, nine fatalities were recorded on Cayman’s roadways by the start of Operation Winter Guardian.
“Considering these factors, a multi-pronged strategy was devised to increase public confidence and encourage good choices throughout the season. The operation focused on providing an increased police presence through high visibility mobile and foot patrols in both commercial and residential areas, along with frequent but spontaneous vehicle checkpoints both for traffic enforcement and education as well as to discourage criminal activities,” the statement said.
Community police officers were deployed, as well as an “increased Firearm Response Unit presence”.
Arrive Alive
The RCIPS said it worked in partnership with other agencies such as supporting the Arrive Alive 345 campaign which is led by the National Drug Council and Compass Media.
On New Year’s Eve, approximately 5,000 members of the public chose to ride the purple ribbon buses, which ran from 9pm on 31 Dec. to 4am on 1 Jan., it said.
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“At Winter Guardian’s end, the RCIPS said officers had made 25 arrests in relation to driving under the influence of alcohol.”
Just 25 arrests over the holidays when there must have been thousands of seriously drunk drivers on the roads.