When Police Commissioner Verne Garde took office last September, Saint Lucia was heading towards its deadliest year on record. Now, after nearly a year of restructuring the police force and tightening border security, the island has seen a modest decline—36 homicides as of early July compared to 42 this time last year.
But last week’s eruption of violence—eight gun-related killings across multiple communities in just days—has further exposed what Garde calls Saint Lucia’s “greatest challenge”: porous borders that allow firearms to flood the island unchecked.
“We’ve gone a long way with border security – our drones, our CCTV, our marine interceptors, our staffing at the Marine Unit and airport,” Garde said in an interview with St Lucia Times. “We’ve added 11 immigration officers and are recruiting 15 more. But porous borders will continue to be our greatest challenge.”
The recent bloodshed comes amid heightened efforts to stem the flow of illegal weapons. Police have seized over 4 200 rounds of ammunition this year alone, with more than 4 000 recovered through the work of Tyson, a specialised K-9 officer who died suddenly recently under unexplained circumstances.
While Garde declined to comment further on Tyson’s death pending the outcome of an internal investigation, the police commissioner did reflect more broadly on the internal challenges facing the force — namely, the deep-rooted vulnerabilities within its own ranks.
In a wide-ranging interview, Garde also pointed to deeper systemic issues within the force. He openly acknowledges institutional corruption, revealing that drug syndicates have attempted to infiltrate the police force by funding recruits.
“It would be naive of me not to recognise institutional corruption,” he said.
International investigators are currently vetting 200 officers, a necessary measure, Garde insists, noting that societal problems inevitably seep into law enforcement. “We are all children of Saint Lucia,” he said. “The same problems we see in our communities are reflected in our institutions.”
Beyond firearms, Garde warns of rampant smuggling that’s draining national resources, from trafficked humans to illegally exported seafood such as lobster and conch.
The crime situation has left communities reeling. In New Village, where 18-year-old Jhanick Jn Philip became one of last week’s victims, residents describe a neighbourhood slipping backwards into fear.
“He wasn’t in any gang; just a loving child going to school every day,” Philip’s aunt said.
As Garde pushes forward with reforms, including a new K-9 facility and expanded surveillance, the past week’s carnage underscores how quickly progress can unravel.
