Police to ramp up stop-and-search operations
Amid an increase in crime, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) have announced that they will increase stop-and-search activities and other operations in the coming months.
The police carried out an island-wide weekend roll-and-search operation on Tortola which concluded about 4 am on Sunday morning. They said the operation yielded results as they successfully disrupted illegal activities in certain hotspots.
The cops arrested five persons and seized an unspecified number of cannabis. The operation, which was carried out by the Armed Response Unit and the Road Policing Unit resulted in searches on a little more than 30 people.
“Eight scooters were seized and five arrests were made for various offences,” A press release from the police stated.
Acting Chief Inspector of the RVIPF’s Operations Division, Dean Robin, noted that while the cops were involved in the operation, they received support from members of the community who showed their support and appreciation for their work.
The BVI remains one of the safest jurisdictions in the Caribbean. However, in recent months, the community has been worried about an uptick in shootings and robberies in several communities.
Recently Governor Rankin said many of the shootings are linked to the narcotics trade — something he said isn’t much-talked-about in the community.
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Sounds like harassment to me
What are the legalities of these stop and searchs….. BVI constitution
Protection of private and family life and privacy of home and other property
19.—
(2) Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be subjected to the search of his or her person or property or the entry by others on his or her premises.
Stop everyone then its not harassment. If you have nothing to hide you should not car if you are searched. Find all the illegalities and get law and Order restored.
Grounds for lawsuits
I think the efforts should be a little more targeted no? Is randomly searching anybody or their belongings legal? I think the public needs to be more aware of what rights they have and what rights the police have.
Them harassing down island people but not the Caucasians and Asians who driving without license.
TRUE, THEY HERE DRIVEN NORMAL LIKE THATS RIGHT LOOKING SO INNOCENT BUT GUILTY.
is available to all BV islanders to use BUT the price is random stops and searches by the police. Big Brother never sleeps.
Stop complaining. When crimes are up, we say that the police need to do more searches. When they do more searches, you complain about harassment. There is no way to please you people.
Why is everyone whining? Those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear. If it stops people running around shooting guns in B-road daylight then pull me over and search as much as you like.
Police can stop and search me and my car any day any time. I’ll be smiling cause I know they wasting their time. So long as I not catching a flight or ferry. That’s an excuse for being late for work. Boss can’t say nutter! Lol.
The popo need to stop arresting people for weed. Weed don’t make you crazy, nor make you do wrong things. That radio man smoke weed every day. They not going to arrest he. Legalize weed and you get a better society. Everybody mellow and happy.