tci

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.”

Gang war in Turks and Caicos is overwhelming its police force and Premier Charles Misick is calling on the Bahamas government to help his country fight the scourge of crime and violence in its once peaceful British territory.

Misick in an address said that he asked Prime Minister Philip Davis and the Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander to augment the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force as violent crime spirals out of control, and authorities are making plans to do so.

TCI faces a tremendous increase in crime since April. Its latest crime wave involved the killing of a US tourist on Sunday, who along with a local was shot “indiscriminately” when armed criminals shot into a vehicle carrying local staff and tourists to their resort after an excursion.

The local also died while the other tourist sustained injuries. 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.

The officer remains in serious condition.

Bullets from the suspects’ guns struck the windshield of the police vehicle and deflated the tires.

TCI Police Chief Trevor Botting who later took to social media to instill calm on the island of more than 38,000 people, said the incident “was targeted and carried out by armed gang members who act without conscience, who have no regard for life and who are hell-bent on causing indiscriminate harm and misery across the TCI.

“This violence is linked to drug supply and is fueled by revenge, turf wars and retribution,” he said.

CSJ Report understands the Bahamas is preparing to send 23 officers for approximately one month to bring stability to TCI and arrest the “now emboldened gang trying to remove who they believe are the local drug and arms smuggling competition.”

Governor Nigel Dankin said the ball of confusion on the island began when police shot dead a Jamaican gang leader while resisting arrest, several months ago. Later, the leader of a Haitian gang was killed by a member of his gang.

“The vacuum and confusion this created, allowed a predominantly Jamaican gang, with a relatively small footprint here, to reinforce from Jamaica. They had already been seeking to kill one of their local rivals…following his attempt to steal from them,” Dankin said.

It’s been reported that the local gangs are fighting back and using military-grade high-velocity weaponry.

Misick also requested help from Jamaica and Barbados for police reinforcement as the United Kingdom send a Chief Superintendent and Inspector to form an anti-gun unit. Twenty-three officers to form the unit will arrive in the coming months.

Misick is also petitioning the US Department of Homeland Security to police the passage between TCI and Haiti to prevent illegal entry.