Turks and Caicos Grateful for Bahamas Police. Botting Is Waiting on Officers From UK and Jamaica
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Turks and Caicos Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said he is delighted for the assistance of 24 Bahamian police officers who are helping the British territory fight crime which arose to frightening levels in recent weeks.
Headed by Ken Strachan, the officers arrived last-week, and were deployed throughout TCI, conducting operations within the streets and communities.
“They are committed, experienced and ready,” Botting said in a press conference on Monday.
Two canines from the Bahamas also joined the fight against crime.
Botting said he believed their presence will make an impact on TCI.
The United Kingdom is expected to send a large contingent of investigators to TCI where they will remain for 2 years to establish an anti-gang unit.
The big story
TCI is facing an increase in gang related crimes and last week, crime hit a new level when an American tourist was killed when armed criminals shot into a vehicle carrying local staff and tourists to their resort after an excursion. A TCI local also died.
When officers responded, they came under fire and an officer was shot during the ordeal. But officers managed to shoot one of the suspects who was found dead sometime later. Another US tourist was injured during the attack and the officer remains in serious condition.
Nigel Dakin, TCI Governor said the root of the violence stem from a gang war between Jamaican and Haitian gangs whose leaders were recently killed.
“Not everyone killed has been involved in criminality—But it is also true that many who have been murdered have been linked to criminality and a spiral of reprisal killings, to avenge innocent as well as criminal victims, has been the result.”
