Community police back on the beat

Community police officers are back on the beat across Grand Cayman, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has announced.

A total of 10 officers have now been redeployed to community policing, nearly six months after they were reassigned to address staffing shortages elsewhere in the police service.

A police press release issued 2 Feb. stated: “The RCIPS recognises that community policing is the pillar of public safety and serves as the primary link between the police and the public, focusing on proactive problem-solving and building the trust necessary to keep the islands safe.”

A sergeant and four constables will be assigned to the George Town area, with officers deployed to Prospect, central George Town, Windsor Park and West Bay Road.

Bodden Town will have one sergeant and two constables, one handling the Bodden Town Primary School to the Frank Sound area and another responsible for Newlands and Savannah.

West Bay will get one officer, a constable in charge of the West Bay, North West Point and Boatswain Bay areas, with another covering West Bay, Mount Pleasant Road and the Shores.

Move welcomed

A spokesperson for Caribbean Gold Jewelers on Fort Street, which was targeted by a masked, armed robber last November, welcomed the return of community officers.

He said, “It’s a very good thing. It’s excellent because the presence of police in the Fort Street and Cardinall Avenue areas helps them identify the people walking around and will reduce the number of people wearing masks.

“The tourists feel secure because they can see the police around. Their presence is really a big thing for us. It gives us a bit more security and a good feeling and I’m sure other businesses would say the same thing.”

Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton said, “Our community police presence provides a sense of security that goes beyond traditional patrolling.

“While the temporary withdrawal was a difficult operational necessity, our recruitment efforts have now reached a stage that allows us to return these officers to the heart of our communities.”

Links to businesses

The officers will carry out routine neighbourhood patrols, as well as maintain contact with businesses on their beats and attend community activities.

Walton told Parliament’s Finance Committee last November that he wanted to see “community policing with a hard edge”.

He told lawmakers that he planned to increase the number of community police officers across the districts from 10 to 21 by early 2026 once training was completed.

But he said he viewed the entire service as community police officers and that he wanted to hammer home that all police should be at the heart of the communities they served.