Former Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has called for urgent police reform to ensure officers intervene early in civil disputes before they escalate into deadly confrontations.
Speaking on Radio 100’s ‘What Makes You Mad’ on Monday, Dr Anthony noted that many violent crimes, including homicide, stem from civil disputes that escalate due to a lack of early intervention.
“There are so many deaths that have occurred in this country having the origin in those civil disputes,” he said, suggesting that police officers need retraining to recognise and de-escalate these situations before they “deteriorate and bring people in conflict and cause harm to each other”.
“I don’t think the reaction of the police should be ‘this is not for us, we’re not analysts; this is not a criminal matter. We only handle criminal matters’,” Dr Anthony added.
He said that instead of dismissing civil disputes as outside their jurisdiction, police should engage with communities, keep records of and monitor ongoing conflicts, and offer guidance to prevent escalation
“The police have to update their record-keeping…. They should keep a record of those individuals in their communities who are reporting these disputes,” the former PM recommended.
He suggested that officers should maintain a visible presence in communities, regularly checking in on those involved in conflicts and ensuring that disagreements do not turn violent. While he acknowledged that police are “not social workers,” he insisted that they are “caretakers of the law” and must take responsibility for maintaining peace.
During his radio appearance, Dr Anthony also recalled past violence in Vieux Fort, where gang conflicts resulted in innocent people being targeted.
“What occurred in Vieux Fort was a microcosm,” the Vieux Fort South MP noted. “It was not just gang warfare…. It is an issue of targeting parents of gang members and even offsprings. Innocence was completely compromised.”
He further pointed out that in many communities, gangs provide financial support, which leads to the protection and perpetuation of their activities.
“Once gangs are rooted and fully established, they become a way of life,” Dr Anthony warned.
He acknowledged that the government has been actively seeking new approaches to combat crime, including considering the designation of “escalated crime zones,” a strategy used in countries like Jamaica and Trinidad.
Despite the challenges, Dr Anthony remains optimistic, citing the revival of community engagement in Vieux Fort during the last Christmas season as a sign of progress. “It shows that the community is slowly returning to normal,” he said.
