Antigua’s Crime-Fighting Tactics Under Review as Police Pursue ‘Limited’ State of Emergency

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Atlee Rodney

Pointe Xpress – Antigua and Barbuda’s police force is urging the government to pass legislation empowering them to enforce a ‘limited’ state of emergency in specific areas, if necessary, to ensure public safety.

Commissioner Atlee Rodney revealed that the proposal, aimed at enhancing crime-fighting measures, has been submitted to parliament for imminent debate.

He emphasized that neighboring Caribbean nations, including Belize, Barbados, and Jamaica, have already adopted similar legislation.

The requested changes also encompass authorizing non-lethal tools like mace and taser guns, alongside allowing the use of officer body-cams with their footage considered admissible in court proceedings.

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25 COMMENTS

  1. Out of Chaos come ORDER!
    The Mantra of those #who’re charged with managing the affairs of the people.
    They create the situations(enacting policies) which they know will create CHAOS, then the same ones enact other policies to control the CHAOS, that they cause.

    I’ll assume, that these areas which will be under the Limited State of Emergency will be in areas like Ottos, Villa, Grays Farm, Geeen Bay, Clarehall where the street thugs created and emboldened by those in the purported upper eschelon who resides in gated Communities, English Harbour, Hodges Bay, Halcyon Heights, Jolly Harbour etc.

    It’s those communities which will not be affected, by these Limited State of Emergency, again, are the same ones which help to set up the illegal gun runnings, the illicit drug trade, the prostitution red light districts.

    OUT OF CHAOS, COMES ORDER!

    Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
    De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Bastard

    Vere C. Edwards

    • What bull shit I am hearing here about the need to be able to impose limited state of emergency (SOE) in some areas. I am aware that this is done in Jamaica. For example, a limited SOE may be imposed in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril etc or in any other part of Jamaica because of the spate of violence in those areas. In what specific area of Antigua and Barbuda is there a spate of violence? This hairbrain idea by the Commissioner of Police is complete nonsense.

      • @Charles Tabor…it’s time to begin to bring class action lawsuits against the government and their draconian tactics.
        If law enforcement was paying attention, as early as, the 1990’s when the North American, South American to Jamaican Style STREET THUGS aka #Gang_Bangers were being established with the blessings and support, of some in the purported upper echelon(white collar criminals), and put the proper measures in place, then law enforcement would have more control of the present crime situation.
        Next the political culture was infused with the #GARRISON STYLE politics, as in by any means necessary and we know how dangerous this is.

        I am not saying attorneys have to work for free, but a Law Center which does pro bono work can go a long way to address how these draconian laws/policies can affect the Nation.

        Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
        De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard

        Vere C. Edwards

  2. Atlee Rodney should be addressing the murder of Mannie, who was shot in the back and murdered by his colleagues.
    I also suggest that he resign and return to where he is from.

  3. The men in uniform just killed an unarmed man. His right to live was violated without the existence of a state of emergency. Now the police wants to make that violation of rights normal by asking for the suspension of the rights of certain communities. What will that mean? It means that the police do not want to be accountable for their actions. They want cover to act arbitrarily and an emergency, which would suspend limited rights people enjoy, would allow them to do just that. //The suspension of rights has to be loudly condemned. And those who may want to support it must be careful about what they support for this might just be the practice run for a larger police state that the police and military might be contemplating. //The fight against crime necessitates the presence always of the right to due process. The murdered man was denied that by the men in union. They took away his constitunal rights and now the same police wants a wider suspension of the rights of, particularly those, in deprived communities. //We must say a loud No! The police must be governed by the sovereign. The people are the sovereign authority. The police must always be governed by that authority and at no time should it surrender that to the police. The conduct of police must be monitored at all times because they are no more moral or law abiding than any other sectors of society. The fact that they already killed an unarmed shows that they can’t be relied upon to act in accordance with the Constitution. Imagine the terror some would suffer if the Constitution was suspended. Say no to any state of emergency

  4. Places like Belize and Jamaica have a much larger population; Antigua has roughly 100,000 people. There is no need for a state of emergency to be put in place in Antigua — There is no civil unrest happening. Just stop using the military to police civilians or, they should not be given any lethal weapons to do so. Police shouldn’t expect that their jobs are always going to be EASY. If the police and military officers thinks the only way to deal with fleeing suspects are to shoot them in the back, then these are not the kinds of people you should want on the force. Find solutions that will work for Antigua — stop copying what other countries are doing; they have their own unique problems.

    • U couldn’t say it better,Dem dunce inna parliament better stair this rite..R.I P MANNIE . GHETTO YOUTHS HEART A BLEED 🩸

  5. An individual becomes a criminal only when the courts say the person is. The police need the law to prosecute..The accused needs the law to prove his or her innocence. No where else, but inside the courts, should innocence and guilt be decided and the prosecutor has.to use legally acquired evidence to support the claim that an infraction of the law has been committed. //A state of emergency would allow the police to abandon all the norms that govern how they should deal with people and how they collect evidence. It allow them entry into your private spaces without a warrant with the freedom to search your house without specifying what they would be looking for. This state becomes a state of lawlessness inflicted by the police and would likely be endured by anyone and everyone. //The supporters of this fascistic environment may be inclined to think of themselves as good.citizens. But you will loose that ability to define yourself. The police will. That is why you cannot support the taking away of rights for anyone. When you do so, you woukd have endorsed it for yourself and would have already set up the justification for the violation of your rights. If not now later. Stop encouraging the police to think it can become a law unto itself. The police must come under the direction of the sovereign authority. The people are the sovereign. If you are not thinking of yourself as such then start now. Or else you will become a subjected people. That is what the police want you become, subjec to arbitrary rule. There is already too much of that already.

  6. U couldn’t say it better,Dem dunce inna parliament better stair this rite..R.I P MANNIE . GHETTO YOUTHS HEART A BLEED 🩸

  7. The apathy in Antigua is astonishing! Yesterday, there were hundreds of comments about Antiguans going into space — today, something that will actually have a negative effect on Antiguans liberty and mum’s the word. I’m starting to think that Antiguans are quite comfortable being abused.

    “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” — Benjamin Franklin

  8. It’s almost an admission that the police used unusual and excessive force to kill Mannie because they didn’t have the proper legislative tools. The way he died suggest very poor policing techniques.

  9. Wow wow wow Barbudans and Antiguans this regulations are for those who intended to Block Entrances to the Buffer Zones Area when Apartied is Fully implement in Barbuda and Antigua Pearns Point, Lorie’s Bay, Depp Bay, Winward Bay in Falmouth be ready

  10. I did not read the article. THE COMMISSIONER IS OBVIOUSLY OUT OF TOUCH.

    VENTING…..A few months ago the ENTIRE COUNTRY was on curfew, and the police could not handle the brazen robberies of Chinese supermarket, gas stations, Parham supermarket, Digicel, stores, restaurants, home invasions, rapes, etc etc etc…..WE REMEMBER.

    So how the hell can this be a solution? Is he delusional, or just out of ideas? Last outing he said he was short of 2000 police officers, remember that one? 2000 170 square miles population of 120 000 paying 2700 police officers each month.

    This is a different level of absurdity.

  11. Deport the illegals when they break the rules here!
    Stop pandering to the criminals that have invaded our country!
    I’ve seen and observed them they ate just as pushy and ghetto as can be…
    Deport them please!!
    We need to take our country back.

  12. I have some much simpler and more effective suggestions for the police: Answer the government phones that tax payers are paying for, respond to public reports, improve on your professionalism to include confidentiality, do a lot more in service training to sharpen your skills (I am available for free) and the other basic things which doesn’t include what Attorney Charles Tabor referred to as BULL SHIY.

    • BULL SHIY?: …BULL’S EYE?: …BULL GARNEY?: …BULL SHIT?: OR BULL BRAIN?: …NOT PART OF THAT: AH AH!

      Aint saying nothing like these.

      When people have reached the ‘…Level of Professional Competence,’ they often look for ‘EXCUSES’ to disguise: (a) ‘…Incompetence: and (b) …Inefficiency.’

      Such was never part of the teachings ‘…Commissioner Atlee Rodney QPM,’ a ‘…Former Subordinate,’ was given.

      If ‘…Egoistically Driven’ or ‘Environmentally Influenced,’ then he has a ‘Solvable Problem.’

      SIMPLY:

      ‘…Pack up and Go.’ This shall be a ‘Last Resort,’ though.

      Crime can be managed without ‘FULL’ or ‘…LIMITED State of Emergency.’

      FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES

      Except in the ‘…PUBLIC INTEREST,’ and not to address ‘…Gross Incompetence,’ Police ‘Commissioners’ do not ‘…MEDDLE OR FIDDLE’ with the ‘…Freedoms and Liberties’ of citizens.

      SEE CONSTITUTION ORDER:

      Different to the thinking of a ‘BULL,’ Sections ‘…19 and 20’ guide ‘…Thoughts and Expressions.’

      UNDERSTANDING

      Do hope he understands that ‘…ONLY THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY,’ an entity he holds membership, such authority resides.

      NATIONAL SECURITY MEMBERSHIP

      (i) ‘…Prime Minister-Gaston Browne:

      (ii) …Attorney General-Steadroy ‘Cutie’ Benjamin:

      (iii) …Chief of Defence Staff-Colonel Thelbert Benjamin:

      (iv) …Commissioner of Police- Atlee Rodney: and

      (v) …Director of the ONDCP- Colonel Edward Croft.’

      WELL:

      If it is ‘…Bull Shiy’ or ‘…Bull Shit,’ then it stands to reason that one with ‘…Bull Brain’ must come to social media to be ‘…BATTERED AND SLAUGHTERED.’

      NOT PART OF THAT: …AH AH! ‘…Stay-een rite outta dat.’ (Vernacular).

      • @Rawlston Pompey…

        …habits become Norms!
        …norms, become A Way Of Life!
        …a way of life, defines A People!
        …a people defines A Culture!
        …this culture will predicate!
        …said culture will dictate!
        …the direction(s), said people take!
        …since, life’s cyclic; as, #TIME is left in its own wake.

        A couple of questions…
        1…as recent, as the late 1980’s to the early 2000’s probably when you were a subordinate learning the ‘means and methods,’ of crime fighting, and the fact, that some of your learning/training from surveillance to analysis of the forensics/evidence, to being proactive in putting policies in place to curtail some of what is happening now(escalating criminal activities), on your way to becoming COP…

        (i)…didn’t you forsee, that the Red Light Districts now well established, in the poorer communities would’ve become, what they are today? BREEDING GROUNDS for Criminals.

        (ii)…didn’t you forsee, in such cases where for example RED SHUT in Point/Villa emboldened by politicians(put a cool million on this one, if you’re calling me a liar. Some even had their names on the RED SHUT bangers paraphernalia – mementos
        are still available.
        The GREEN HOUSE POSSEY, The WHITE_SHUT Bangers to #SPEAKS_POSSEE were all recruiting, indoctrinating and incubating recruits, again didn’t law enforcement recognize from training and the culture of other jurisdictions, that the GANG CULTURE being developed and deployed would be causing problems, in the future, as in now?

        (iii)…the international cartels have being operating in Antigua, since, Horacio Nelson’s days, and we have several examples of our shores, people, resources being used, up to this day to accommodate INTERNATIONAL CRIMINALS, and yes, there are measures in place but as you know, these WHITE COLLAR CRIME SYNDICATES are more detrimental to our Nation, than most of what the petty criminals in the ghetto(State of Mind) are doing which is causing, either INCOMPETENCE, GRANDIOSITY to be the driving force behind the push for such things, as LIMITED STATE OF EMERGENCY.

        Please understand, this is not about blaming anyone, since, all(the community/people to the government policy makers to the religious institutions to the NGO’s to Non or For Profit businesses), again ALL are responsible to some degree for the present situation(s).
        All MUST work to correct it.

        No fuhgat! BULL_GARNEY nar leff SKILL_FULL for no BULL_SHIY! Weren’t they tied to the hip, as criminals?

        Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
        De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard

        Vere C. Edwards

  13. This is some scary shit !
    I can’t believe,,this is even up for a Parliamentary discussion.
    The video of persons asked to identify themselves to access the Point,,to then at another occasion told to leave at 7:00 p.m. I thought was totally egregious, this goes,,beyond that.
    Are they missing the covid lockdown that badly that they want it back?
    We are damned near ,,powerless to the whims of the Police on a normal day,here in Antigua,,imagine one in a ” Limited State of Emergency.”
    I had one cop jam me up in traffic court,,,twice,,,simply because my woman,,told he “NO,,I’m happy with my man”
    WoW !
    This is some scary kaka.
    I will for the second time in my life,,march the streets of Antigua in protest.
    The fist,,time,,,was the removal of “Jakey” from the Antigua Grammer School,,,which,,pales and goes white,,standing next to the threat of an LIMITED STATE OF EMERGENCY.

    WTF?

  14. POLICE LOOKING ABUSE THOSE WHO ARE LIVING IN THE POORER NEIGHBORHOODS ON ANTIGUA.LIMITED STATE OF EMERGENCY MY ARSE.RODNEY,ARE YOU AND YOUR POLICE HIT SQUAD GOING INTO HODGES BAY AND CROSBIES TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY? NO YOU WOULD NOT,COWARD.

  15. That soe don’t make no sense whatsoever this is going to affect people that is working hard to take care of their family if crime have to happen don’t u think it will happen big day smh…the body cam for police officers should be mandatory cause they believe law is in their hand and when they do they should receive pardon because they don’t want the police force to look bad chuppz I repeat that soe should not be applied this suppose to be a free country not a f******** open jail I believe these people that comes up with this stupidness don’t make any sense

  16. Dear Mr Rodney
    Please reform the Police Force by minimizing all the duplicitous administrative nonessential work and free up scores of officers to patrol the streets.
    Make 700 officers feel as though there are 7000 officers in the force.
    Get real time communication system where whomever is closest to the incident can respond, all vehicles should be equipped with tracking device and can be plotted on a map real time..

    Investigate matters without having a report. Monitor social media.

  17. This is beyond bull…Antiguans and Barbadans should be out raged and not surprised. We live under a bull shit system of governance.
    Taking into account this SOE notification is coming from Gaston’s newspaper. This is a done deal.
    The very person who says he wants more visiting tourists. This limited SOE is going to go down so well with the tourism industry.
    This is a crude part of the coverup of the police shooting a fleeing man dead. No known investigation. No identity or suspension of the shooter. No accountability.
    Just more restrictions of the public’s rights and freedom of movement, as a substitute for incompetency.
    Rather than SOE, when is the persons responsible be held accountable.
    What is the status of the investigation?
    In democratic society law enforcement is held to a higher standard. In Antigua and Barbuda the police kills with impunity.

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