Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney announced a substantial increase in the recovery and seizure of firearms during a press conference held today.
The commissioner attributed the success to heightened efforts in various policing strategies and the invaluable assistance from the public.
Rodney highlighted a significant improvement in firearm recovery from 2022 to 2023. “In 2022, our recovery efforts resulted in 32 firearms being reclaimed.
However, due to enhanced strategies and increased collaboration with the community, we have observed a remarkable increase, with 70 firearms successfully recovered in 2023,” he stated.
Providing a detailed breakdown of the recovered weapons, Rodney informed the press that out of the 70 firearms seized in 2023, 66 were lethal weapons, posing a serious threat to public safety.
Additionally, four firearms were identified as imitations, demonstrating the diversity of weapons addressed by the police force in their mission to maintain public safety.
Expressing gratitude to the public for their active involvement, Rodney stated, “The increase in patrols, execution of search warrants, and stop-and-search operations, coupled with valuable tips from the general public, greatly assisted us in removing a significant number of firearms from the public streets of Antigua and Barbuda.”
The commissioner took a moment to acknowledge and commend individuals consistently providing information. “We must pause to say thanks to persons who continue to provide information, persons who continue to give that assistance we’ve been pleading for, for a number of years,” he added.
Furthermore, Rodney emphasized the dedication and commitment of the officers involved in these operations.
“We commend the officers for the risks they have taken, the commitment they have shown, and the dedication to get those guns off the street. Their efforts are pivotal in creating a safer environment for everyone,” he concluded.
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If seventy illegal firearms have been seized by the police, and gun violence has increased then it stands to reason that there are lots of illegal firearms out in our communities and a better strategy need to be deployed by law enforcement.
It would be interesting to know if any of those firearms recovered have been traced to any criminal activity or serious crime. It would also be interesting to learn how the weapons were brought into the country and by whom!
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