There is a question that an increasing number of citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are asking:

What is the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda doing to combat crime?

It is a question that deserves more than a press release after another incident. It deserves more than reassurances that investigations are ongoing. It deserves a clear, comprehensive and honest response from those entrusted with keeping our country safe.

Crime and the fear of crime affect far more than the immediate victims. They change how people live. They determine whether parents feel comfortable allowing their children to move freely, whether business owners feel safe opening and closing their establishments, whether residents feel secure in their homes, and whether citizens can go about their daily lives without constantly looking over their shoulders.

Antigua and Barbuda has long prided itself on being a relatively peaceful society. We should never become comfortable with a situation where serious criminal activity begins to feel normal.

The public therefore deserves to know:

What is the crime-fighting strategy of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda?

What preventative measures are being implemented? What is being done to address illegal firearms? What intelligence-led policing strategies are being employed? Are there sufficient patrols in vulnerable communities? Are repeat offenders being adequately monitored? Does the Force have the manpower, technology, vehicles, training and investigative resources necessary to respond effectively to modern crime?

If there are deficiencies, tell the public.

If additional resources are required, tell the public.

If there are legislative or institutional barriers preventing the police from doing their jobs effectively, tell the public.

Silence and limited communication create uncertainty, and uncertainty creates fear.

This is not an attack on individual police officers. There are hardworking men and women within the Royal Police Force who put themselves at risk every day in service to this country. They deserve proper resources, strong leadership, effective systems and the confidence of the population they serve.

But supporting our police officers does not mean abandoning accountability.

The leadership of the Royal Police Force must communicate with the public in a meaningful and consistent way. Citizens should receive regular information about crime trends, prevention strategies, enforcement initiatives and measurable results, without compromising active investigations. Public confidence cannot be built through silence.

There must also be accountability beyond the Police Force itself.

The Police Service Commission must explain how it is exercising its responsibilities to ensure that the country has effective leadership within its police service. Citizens deserve to know whether performance is being evaluated and whether those entrusted with leading the Force are being held to appropriate standards.

The Minister responsible for public safety and security must also address the nation.

Public security is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government. The public deserves to hear what policies are being implemented, what resources are being allocated, what weaknesses have been identified and what the Government intends to do differently if current measures are not producing the desired results.

We need more than statements condemning crime after it happens.

We need a plan.

We need prevention. We need intelligence. We need visible policing. We need stronger community partnerships. We need effective investigations. We need accountability. And, critically, we need communication.

There should be clearly defined public-safety objectives against which progress can be measured. Citizens should be able to see whether reported serious crimes are increasing or decreasing, whether detection and clearance rates are improving, and what interventions are being introduced in response to emerging trends.

The public should not have to rely on WhatsApp messages, rumours and social media posts to understand what is happening in our country.

When credible information is absent, misinformation fills the vacuum.

Leadership requires being visible not only when there is good news, but especially when people are afraid and demanding answers.

This is also where accountability must have consequences.

If those responsible for policing, oversight and public security cannot provide the people of Antigua and Barbuda with a credible strategy for addressing crime, cannot demonstrate measurable action, and cannot communicate a clear way forward, then serious questions must be asked about whether they should continue occupying those positions.

And if they cannot fulfil those responsibilities, they should resign and allow persons who can do the job to take their place.

That is not an unreasonable or partisan demand. Accountability must apply regardless of who occupies the office or which administration is in government.

Public office is public trust.

The citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are not asking for a country where crime never occurs; no police service or government can promise that. We are asking for institutions that demonstrate that crime is being confronted strategically, aggressively and intelligently—and leaders who are willing to account for their performance.

We also have responsibilities as citizens. Communities must cooperate with legitimate investigations, parents and families must play their part, witnesses must be encouraged and protected, and we must reject the culture of protecting individuals who terrorise our communities.

But citizens cannot carry the burden alone.

People deserve to feel safe in their homes.

Business owners deserve to feel safe at their establishments.

Children deserve to grow up without violence becoming normalised.

Residents and visitors deserve confidence in our country’s security.

Antigua and Barbuda is our home. We cannot wait until fear becomes a permanent feature of everyday life before demanding decisive action.

So once again, the questions must be asked:

What is the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda doing to combat crime? What is the Government’s strategy? What is the Police Service Commission doing to ensure accountability and effective leadership? What are the measurable targets? And when will the public be given a clear way forward?

The people deserve answers.

More importantly, we deserve action.

A Concerned Citizen of Antigua and Barbuda

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: LETTER: Antigua and Barbuda Deserves Answers on Crime and Public Safety.