Crimestoppers BVI

On Tuesday July 20th Crime Stoppers (BVI) was launched. The BVI is now one of 25 countries in the world and the 11th country in the Caribbean to be apart of Crime Stoppers International. The BVI is also the third country to be on board for this year with the other two countries being New Zealand and Mexico.

This event was held at Myett's in Cane Garden Bay and despite the poor weather conditions government officials, police officers, crime stoppers directors and a few members of the public were present.

The chairman of Crime Stoppers BVI Mr. Lloyd Black opened the event describing how the program began some 30 yrs ago and now it has finally reached to the BVI. Mr. Black went on to note that Crime Stoppers world wide is solely community based and is considered an effective mechanism in solving and deterring crime.

Following him was the invocation by Inspector Patrick Harewood of the Crime Prevention Unit of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.

Premier Ralph T. O'Neal who spoke at the launch urged the public to get involved and take full advantage of the program. He reminisced of the days when the community came out and assisted in keeping the peace in the BVI. Since then things have gotten out of control and everything possible must be done to stop criminals causing terror in our society he reiterated. Premier O'Neal also made mentioned of a recent shooting where by a local business man got shot by just making his bank deposit. The Premier went on to insist to the public, the importance of Crime Stoppers and that personally, he intended to give the program, his full support.

Opposition Leader Dr. Orlando Smith was also present at Crime Stoppers launch and gave remarks on how important it was, for the community to play an important role in solving crime. He noted that the community was not always responsive and as a result it
proved challenging for law enforcement agencies to control and solve crime, but with this new program he hopes this can be resolved. Dr. Smith went on to state that in order to solve crimes we all have to work together as a community; the police need the intelligence that the community can provide, without this intelligence it makes a crime more difficult to solve.

Regional Chairman of Crime Stoppers International Alexander McDonald who is based in Bermuda said that he was pleased to see the BVI get involved in such a program. A program that has worked successfully for over 30yrs. Mr. MacDonald also went on record as stating that in the 30 year existence of Crime Stoppers, receiving millions of calls, not a single person has ever been identified as having given information to Crime Stoppers and no one has ever had to go to court as a witness. In fact he mentioned that it is this anonymity that is the foundation of Crime Stoppers success as an effective means of combating crime.
Mr. MacDonald even made a live call from a cell phone demonstrating to all present how simple the process was to call Crime Stoppers.

Commissioner of Police Reynell Frazer also gave remarks and indicated his pleasure in seeing the local community taking a proactive role in reducing the crime rate in the BVI. He reinforced that the local police have nothing to do with the program given that any tips from the community will only be passed on to them from an anonymous source. It is completely anonymous he stressed.

Representing the BVI Chamber of Commerce & Hotel Association was Chairman Dr. Birney Harrigan. Dr. Harrigan spoke and said when the BVICCHA was first approached by the leadership of law enforcement to serve as the sponsoring organization for the proposed Crime Stoppers BVI organization, the potential benefits to the BVI community in helping to create a safer community were so compelling that the BVICCHA Board overwhelmingly endorsed the proposal," Dr. Harrigan also mentioned that "The successful launch of Crime Stoppers BVI is an essential step in advancing its goals."

Crime Stoppers Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Governor David Pearey, Premier Ralph T. O'Neal, Commissioner of Police Reynell Frazer, Regional Chairman of Crime Stoppers International Alexander MacDonald and Chairman of Crime Stoppers BVI Lloyd Black.

Crime Stoppers is a non profit organization and under the auspices of the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association. Crime Stoppers BVI will be managed by an independent charitable board of directors who are all from the local community. Their sole and most important responsibility will be to raise the awareness of Crime Stoppers in the territory.

Anyone can call Crime Stoppers with any information and tips concerning crime and criminal activities - 800-8477 (TIPS). On occasion for tips resulting in arrests and
the recovery of property rewards will be available. All calls are answered in an independent overseas call centre, all calls are untraceable, anonymous, confidential and free. Persons can also provide information and crime tips online anonymously and confidentially via crimestoppersbvi.com

Crime Stoppers is an independent charity working to reduce crime in the territory for the benefit of the community. Visit crimestoppersbvi.com to learn more about the program and what they are trying to achieve!

As their slogan says - Take the time to stop the crime.