Police record another upsurge of ‘mentally ill assailants’
The following is a media release from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).
Police are again recording an upsurge in incidents involving persons with mental illness.
Within the last month, the RVIPF recorded eight incidents involving persons who either displayed behavior of mental illness or are registered mentally ill persons.
On the same day, one woman was accused of entering two establishments in Road Town and grabbing the handbag of an unsuspecting patron.
Onlookers assisted in the retrieval of these handbags. She was taken to the Behavioral Ward of the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital and was treated. In another incident, a male in dirty clothing swung a bag at a female tourist while she was walking on Main Street.
She fell back and he tried to continue his assault, but was chased away by persons in the area. She received some minor bruises to her knee. This past week, a registered mental patient was seen illegally entering a vessel at Frenchman’s Cay.
When questioned by Police, he responded incoherently. Nothing was removed from the vessel. Three days later, he was reportedly seen pounding the hood of a vehicle while holding the driver at knife point. He was apprehended by Police and taken to the Behavioral Ward where he is being treated.
A male was seen exiting an unlocked vehicle while parked in Sea Cow’s Bay. His unresponsive behavior led officers to take him to the Behavioral Ward for evaluation.
Considering the recent incidents, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force is asking caregivers to make the necessary calls for assistance at the first signs of changes in behaviour.
Persons are invited to call the RVIPF Control Room number 311 if they see or suspect an individual will inflict harm to himself or others.
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These individuals need to be committed to a facility that is equipped to monitor and treat them. The BVI doesn’t hold such, so therefore as a British Dependent Territory why not transport them to England where they could have access to such. It is quite obvious that they can’t be aided by Family Members or Government here. Are We going to wait until the unfortunate incident of loosing a life before something seriously is done.
This is sparta we dont have time nor recourses to waste on crazy people. Find somewhere to put them so they not a bother to the rest of us.
The behavioral mental health ward here at the hospital in BVI is quite good. The issue is the mentally ill person’s support system of family. Until we shed the ‘stigma’ of being mentally ill then we will not see progress. Stress or trauma can cause ANYONE to become mentally ill/challenged.
or the other most folks in the BVI are mentally challenged everyday especially those senior politicians!
Why should the UK take on our responsibility ??? when they offerd to protect our border for free , the offer was turned down ? and ( sad but ) the coach said we don’t need help we got ? ? we paid for
barges /lawyers etc , so where we’re you
Only when they seriously injure a tourist will the govt take this matter seriously.
Well when one of them step to the wrong person and get killed, then their family will find a place up Johnson Ghut for them.
Is this phonomena exacerbated by FullMoon?
Bofl
They are on drugs not mentally ill
If the government and the people think dem vagrants roaming our streets crazy, let them try me or a loved one. Den we will see what craziness looks like! Shyte!!
As I always used to say.
Frankly, in Tola you need to be crazy to live here. Just bring out the weapons and bring back the family feuds, we’ll sort this out ourselves.
Just give all the mentally ill suits to wear. No one will notice them then.
i hate that because Tortola really need a mental institution .. it don’t have any … all they does do in inject people with god knows what which i don’t see it as helping people .. they need to see these event with mental illness as a serious thing and really pay attention to it they could spend millions on all kind of stuff .but what they really need to do is spend some money on mental health and get a good facility in place and the right doctors to deal with mental health issues .. believe or not many people suffer with mental health such as depression anxiety and chemical in balance of the brain as well… they need to get serious with mental health and being to help/treat people in the right way, other than just giving people injection and saying they treating people… which it is so wrong!!! HELP HELP HELP THAT’S WHAT MENTAL NEED IN TORTOLA AND ITS screaming OUT LOUD AND LOUDER EACH TIME FOR HELP.. HELP HELP HELP MENTAL ILLNESS