How Long Before We Realize the Emergency?

There are distinct difference between emergencies, crisis, and disasters, despite our tendency to use the 3 social disorders synonymously. The crisis and disaster being the ill handling or ignoring of an emergency event. The various schools of disaster and continuity management differ in established parameters, but agree that they are different. ‘Joe Public or Private’, by experience or just gut feeling determines an emergency not the authorities be they police or government. The latter are responsible to respond solve the emergency. For example ‘919 / 911’ is established so that Joe Public or Private can advise that there is a situation in need if resolution. It would be inappropriate for the emergency operator to say from their position that they do not believe that there is an urgent situation.

The current state of affairs as it relates to crime and social disobedience in the Bahamas is far from normal. We are seeing and hearing of behavior that leaves a lot to be desired about the future and well being of the nation. This statement is mine and is supported by the fact the murder rate has sky rocketed not to mention the assault statics which have nearly tripled in the last 10 years. If you agree with my observations then you should agree that we cannot bury our heads in the ground and hope that it all gets better. I venture to say that you will say that we are in an emergency situation.

For several months I have watched as our society is faced with increasing incidents of violence and more so concerned by the refusal of the leadership of our country to take proactive steps to curve this problem. Both political parties have refused to take action and rather play the blame game as to who is at fault. Frankly, we all are at fault for this condition and slowly we are accepting it as a part of Bahamian Culture. 20 years ago it was unusual to see police officers carrying firearms, now high powered weapons is normal and even being used to respond to unarmed civilians. The hiring of off duty police officers once exclusive to the police band is now outsourced to the highest bidder. A general public who in days gone by dared not challenge authority of the police, now is regular accepted and excused occurrence.

Never the less we must also be careful of what would appear to be what I call the desperate times call for desperate measures syndrome, which translates into arming all police officers , security guards and any other 'reasonable citizen'. As attractive as this seems it can and will only make matters worse. Some signs of this can be seen where major business that can afford it now have an armed police officer standing guard at their front door inclusive of security guards, cameras, and alarms.

However those that cannot now have become the targets for the criminals.I have my suggestions quite a few actually regarding curving disorderly state of affairs and certainly there are many others who can chime in. But that is not my purpose for this writing, the point here is to advise that we are in a national emergency situation. This is said with the understanding that many local emergency events have erupted in the last 10 years, but they have been confined and isolated to communities and islands. These events are stepping stones for a far more dangerous state of affairs if not checked now. If we are not careful the crisis and disastrous situations that our neighbors to south like Trinidad, Guyana, and most recently Jamaica have encountered and currently face will certainly show its head in the Bahamas.

The public out cry is heard all over the country for more hangings, stiffer penalties which translate in my opinion and more importantly we are afraid. This fear without a doubt says to me and maybe to you that this is an emergency; as the fire begins to grow, water needs to be put on it. Note I said water, not some bring in the consultants advanced chemical and technological agent, simple reliable water. Thus our crime situation requires and can be managed with simple fixes and more than police intervention. But first we must realize the danger and be willing to address it.

Responding to Bank Lane vs. Preventing Bank Lane

The front page of today's Tribune shows a police officer with a high powered weapon apparently being used to assist in the quelling of an aggressive crowd at Bank Lane on Wednesday November 4, 2010. This intimidating posturing by the police leaves a lot of concern about Royal Bahamas Police Force ability to credibly and civilly address the numerous variations of conflict that they face. Really, what is this officer, suggesting with his weapon at the ready? If the public and the authorities do see this posturing as troubling then, we have become and desensitized to increasing violence in our society; and are prepared to condone any act of force to suppress civil disobedience nosy crowd / mob / robbery / rape etc.

As I write this you are reminded that I am very pro police and in no way am I attempting to minimize what I personally know is a very difficult profession. Never the less there must be balanced, appropriate, and justifiable response by law enforcement. Use of Force Management, demands the application of just enough force to control with applicant keeping mind reasonableness and human rights.

Thus the police must make greater efforts to prevent the obvious. Not just the police, but the Ministries of National Security and Tourism, as the unrest at this location will have tremendous rippling affects. Bank Lane for quite some time has become the stage where accused persons are displayed publicly for ridicule and on many occasions praise and admiration. Whatever the current public opinion is of the persons doing the 'bank lane shuffle', the fact that the State has taken these persons into custody makes the State responsible for their safety, well being, and protection. For this reason and the potential damming fall out, why suspects and the escorting police / prison officers are continuously exposure to injury, assault and harm, at this point is beyond me.

Simply deny access at the perimeter of the court location to members of the public who have no business being there. This can be done immediately by developing a witness list, that is all persons who attending court should be listed on a daily register that is maintained by the police and court officials. This is not difficult as list of prisoners are available daily. This short term solution will reduce the number of persons who just 'hanging out'. Another recommendation is building a decorative perimeter fence, not chain link but perhaps decorative iron work that does take away from the charm of downtown but limits access by those who appear to be charmless.

It makes no sense to dispel disruptive persons from Bank Lane, when the obvious spillage area is Bay Street. Now the angry and disorderly group are on you main street, for the whole world to see. Initiatives, not necessarily mine, must be put in place now to minimize this daily event. Frankly, it should just be stoped post haste and arraignments of this type be done at Fox Hill Prison or be video conferencing. I am certain that many alternatives are available to stop this unnecessary parading.

To wait for the disruption, knowing that it is eminent borders in my opinion on lunacy. Compound this with inappropriate response mechanism and tactics, exposes the public ridicule, legal and civil liability. Simply put, eliminate opportunities for these types of events, prevent them from happening.

What should the Police Do!

Recent police shootings have come under heavy criticism from the public, who feel that excessive force is being used. Officers it appears are 'shooting first and asking questions later', not making what some may say are good judgement calls. What complicates these events is when it seems that police are being selective who they fire upon, apparently following into a dangerous trap of stereotyping.

Be it as it may, officers have a dangerous job and like me and you want to enjoy life and live to see retirement. If we expect better performance from the police on the street then we must make the police leadership provide reasonable solutions and alternatives to the application of force.

At the same time we must also support the efforts of the police as they risk their lives daily to ensure we can all enjoy the freedoms of this land. The police must be encouraged to what is necessary to curb crime in this country, but must not become criminal in their efforts!

Stop - Arrest - Search..., A Matter of Survival!

Those of you who know my area of expertise should have expected comments regarding yesterdays and to days headline regrading the violent and racist attack on our police officers. This is indeed a hot topic for me and the only reasons my comments have been delayed is because I did not know where to start. Never the less let us begin!

First and foremost we must begin with the cultural influences that relate to combat or 'fighting' as we say. How we react and deal with people varies based on several parameters. Here are just a few of them;

• who they are
• where we live (country / neighborhood)
• where they are
• time of day
• there sexual orientation
• how we feel
• what we are wearing
• drugs alcohol
• etc.

These parameters have been drilled in us from we were kids, thus how are raised and in what country are probably the strongest of these determining factors. These influences will dictate to us initially subconsciously then consciously how we respond to threats. Here in the Bahamas for the most part Caucasians are seen as an untouchable group especially of they are foreign group. This reality as much as we battle it, has been drilled into us for several generations and is not easily removed. This factored is amplified when this individual is seen as 'tourist' our bread and butter, persons who we must protect no matter what the cost.

Unless individuals be they police officers or the average person on the street, regularly removes or learns to jump over these barriers he / she is left with an intense experience of the 'Fight or Flight Syndrome'. This syndrome is the bodies instinctive mechanism flooding the muscles with adrenal, but because of the barriers as mentioned earlier the person does not know if they should run or not. Now some of us have because of experience, alcohol, drugs etc., are able to overcome these barriers where as some may not see them as barriers at all.

Secondly an area I would like to discuss is the comments on the web and some I have overheard in local eateries is that the police need to be taught how to properly defend themselves. You imagine how I had to bite my lip and tongue in this one. Let the record reflect that the police are given instruction in police orientated self defense. They are also taught how to properly restrain individuals, handcuff and search them. They are not taught a formal martial art as this approach is very formalized, restrictive and does lend to good combat and tactical thinking. Never the less, unlike firearms training which is regularly refreshed, police officers are not refreshed in hand to hand training. This factor in my opinion contributed greatly to the turn of events.

Thirdly, with regards to proper use of force or lack there of, there several use of force options, that for whatever reason are not adequately explored by our police force. Less lethal force options such as batons, pepper spray, and stun guns, are almost non existent in the police arsenal. In fact it would appear that after the officers has attempted to dialogue with suspects his only option if the person is not compliant is to pull out his / her weapon and shoot the person. It is the absence of these tools that caused a relatively controllable incident to exploded in to something that could have been more manageable.

This may seem untrue and not practical, but if the organization has not provided options then what is left for the officer to do. How can he adequately protect the citizenry if he has in the first instance not been adequately trained and in the second not been equipped. The management of how force is applied (fighting) especially for the police is a very delicate exercise that has repercussions in to the Public Treasury. It cannot be left to chance, as officers lives and that of the general populace depends on it.

Focus on the Begining not the End

Admittedly I would be the first to advocate for changes in laws and the how the courts are administrated. It is an obvious overwhelming situation at the courts for all those concerned. Daily I see the torrent of participants from police, to attorneys, witness, defendants, and of course the ever present spectators who flood the Bank Lane and Nassau Street area. It appears that only persons benefiting from this are the local eateries that thrive off of the reliable trafficking of persons. Never the less, this is not the where the problem with crime in our country is, as the appearance of these various players is the end result of a crime that has already been committed. Thus in my opinion it is not best place to begin to affect remedy and change. I venture to say that the courts are not even a short term solution to crime prevention as they have nothing to do with the latter. The criminal justice system is concerned about investigation and issuing of penalties and punishment. Note crime prevention should not be confused with an inadequate criminal justice system, as one only affects the other. If our concern is the amount of crime in the Bahamas, then we need to at minimum start with the various law enforcement agencies that are charged with crime monitoring and response. Those groups are the Police and Defense Forces, Immigration and Custom Departments, not the Prisons Services. Bear in mind that these agencies are also a part of the criminal justice system, but also play important roles in prevention. However, if we are REALLY serious about reducing crime i.e eliminating opportunity for crime we will start in the Social Services, Education, Youth and Sports ministries. Certainly, this suggestion is a far from the traditional focus and lead taken on by National Security. It is these ministries in my opinion that our on the ground on the front line that can develop and maintain channels for productive and creative future citizens. They also can provide the community support for the rehabilitation that so many would be and current offenders. Also important they address moral and ethical issues as opposed to matters of law. Thus appealing to the character building, and introducing individuals to rules and regulations. Failure to follow the rules and regulations at this stage may only cost points or a match not a life. If we miss the important life lessons that sports, education provide for long term socialization then we will be focused on the fighting the fire with water as opposed to just taking away the matches. My observations have determined that our family and youth groups are failing horribly, I know am a genius. This is the root problem, thus where the greatest efforts and resources need to be placed. Before we even arrive at the courts, simply take a look on our streets, the concerts the weekend and weekday hangouts. Here we will see young folks behaving rudely and out of order, of course to them it is called fun, but seriously. Fun is indeed a relative term as what you may deem as good time, other s may see as reckless. For example I have friends who can spend all day and night on the basketball court, but I am one who would prefer one on one fighting scenarios at my martial arts school. To each his own, indeed, never the less all of us regardless of our passion are willing participants. How can fun be exercised at the expense of another, where that person’s life, property and reputation are put at risk? But I am not going to irate about behavior, especially when it is in my power to control it. As the saying goes bend the tree while it is young. Well the question is who is responsible for bending these ‘cheren dem’. Once again what I see is the failure of parents, not all but just enough to cause as of May 2010 a murder count and armed robbery count that are unacceptable. Thus civil society and government must now step up to the plate. Should the civil society or the government be raising our kids, of course not, however if the are failures in parenting something must be done. It is better to engage that young man or woman now before they come crawling through your window and place a gun to your head. Before is the operative word here, it speaks to prevention, delay, deterrence. Unlike after which speaks to detection, detention and penalties. If we put to much focus on after affects we will miss the proverbial boat, and not really impact the occurrence of crime. Our youth need positive outlets for their energy, frustration and conflicts. A prime example of this is Junkanoo; here we see the melting pot of various background come together to accomplish one goal. During the preparation time we see discipline, confidence and respect for and towards the other person regardless of socioeconomic status. This model needs to be followed, tapped into and harnessed as it speaks to our ability to live together in harmony, and produce a product that is truly Bahamian

Just scratching the Surface

If the what we are seeing recently in the police is a sign questionable recruitment practices and inadequate training, then we must ask what other issues lay hidden waiting to rear its ugly head. Currently the prosepective police under go what is called an extended interview process, where the potential candidate spends two days on campus undergoing both physical and psychological assessments. By comparison, I am not aware of any other organization / company locally that undertakes such a rigorous process. You must also bear in mind that those who make it to this phase would have also had to have passed an entrance exam.

With such a comprehensive approach, then we must ask what goes wrong, maybe the results of these assessments are not adhered too or maybe because of other external influences.

Similarly the training process is very extensive, and really, based on organizational policy takes 2 years to complete, yes the equivalent of a college degree. So what again I ask what is going wrong? Why is such a comprehensive, admired and exhaustive program finding itself wanting?

Some would say that no system is perfect, I agree with this never the less the proof is in the pudding. As indicated the new, we can still call him 'new' Commissioner has a task. He must tidy inside the house and outside and at the same time keep the country safe from crime and reduce the fear of it also.

Policing the Police

What a task in front of him, new Commissioner of Police has the apparently daunting task of not only policing the Community at large but also the members of his organization. In the last few weeks we have seen several officers brought before the courts on a variety of charges and allegations. It does not look good for the Force.., or does it?

When we see anyone or organization without hesitation dealing with his or their organizations faults we think it is for the better. The reality folks conray to popular belief the police are not free of their delinquencies. Thus the Commissioner and his leadership team should be commended for their efforts to bring creditability and respect back to the organization. This as painful as it is has to begin from the inside. The public must not just hear the talk but see the actions of cleaning up of the police force.

We totally support these efforts and endorse them as necessary step in ensuring the public regains and maintains the confidence in the police force.

Crime Analysis 101

Have you ever wondered why some stores are selected and other are not when it comes to robbery and stealing? Maybe it is random selection, I think not, you and your business have been targeted and for the most part your actions or inaction create on a daily basis opportunity for criminals to steel and commit robbery. It may be a harsh pill to swallow but really the blame for your business being targeted and robbed is partially your fault. On numerous occasion we here the police giving tips on how to set up your store or business, where to place the cash register, limiting the amount of cash that is on site or reducing the amount of advertisement covering the windows. Unfortunately this advice goes in one ear and out the other for the sake of increasing the potential for a sale and making the shopping experience more convenient. Really, the question is, are these recommendations sound and will they actually work. Well first as I have said numerous times in this column security must be seen as multilayered initiative and no one method or strategy can work in isolation. There is no sense in fortifying your front door with the best locks and your back door is mage of composite wood. When giving lectures on crime prevention I regularly ask my audience questions that attempt to heighten and increase their awareness. It also helps them by answering these questions to realize how much in control they really are. By allowing the participants to become crime analyst of sort, I am better able to assist them in developing strategy for protection that is more real and personnel to them. I remind them in these discussions to not use the media as the only measuring stick, especially when it comes to crime that affects them directly. In many instance the only reliable measuring stick is what is happening in their own neighborhoods and industry. You too can participate in this exercise and answer these questions. Note these questions no make no reference to the police response time, how long will the matter take before it is disposed of before the courts, and how long will the suspect be incarcerated. Those questions speak to another area of crime prevention that requires a collective approach to have these responses and wait times reduced. How would you rate the current crime trends in the Bahamas? High Medium Low The crime rate in the Bahamas is not exclusive to New Providence and thus all the Family Islands must be factored in. Too often we become Nassau Centric and believe the country lives and dies by New Providence. This questions begs the reader to step out of their reality as their community may be facing high instances of crime but in Salina Point, Acklins crime is only heard about during the evening news What is the crime rate where your business is located? High Medium Low This question brings the reality of crime closer to home by asking you to give a count of the number business in your shopping center / mall / plaza / are being robbed etc. What types of business are experiencing high crime rates? Retail Wholesale Food Service Corporate Entities Banks Web Shops Hospitals Some business types have a very low possibility of violent crime because of what they do, while others are very prone to violent events. Has your business been victim of crime? Yes / No If crime has not touched your business for whatever reason there may be several reasons as to why. They can range form location, operating hours, honest staff, etc. Where are violent crimes occurring? Home Work Play This has a lot to do with location but also business type. More times or less it has to do with perception and the When are violent crimes occurring? Morning Day Night Weekdays Weekends Knowing when or have a good idea to when you or your business is vulnerable is very important. This information can help with the allocation of the necessary security measures at the appropriate time. Too many instances exist where insufficient tactics were in place to deal with the threat. Who are committing these offenses? Men Women Adults TeensIf you know who the most likely suspects are you can better defend against them. This may sound like profiling, maybe it is, but the real question is it necessary. The difficulty lies with balancing your ethics with your survival WHY??????? There are possibly thousands of motivating factors for why one commits crime, your consideration regarding this should be let to the criminologist and a court of the person is caught. So do worry to much about motive at this point. Simple questions that you should take a moment to think about, as the answer of which will play an important part in what you do. Essentially it is the first and in my opinion the most important part of any crime prevention strategy. It is my opinion that reducing crime is not rocket science, but rather a simple look at causation factors and reduce the opportunities for them to happen. Easier said than done you may say, but if you have taken the time to answer the above questions you have taken the first step in this process. Does this process alone make you an expert, no you were expert long before this, I am only trying to help you organize your experience. This approach I hope will assist you in selecting the appropriate counter measures to reduce your exposure to crime.

Assessing Your Security Guard and Provider

In the Bahamas, like other places in the world the security guard is usually, not the first option for the individual filling that role. The career of security guard is really seen at the top of the list when teenager are asked what they aspire to be. This last resort of sort thus makes the selection pool shallow to say the least. On the other end of the spectrum you find that many officer role are filled with retired or former police officers. These persons are usually for the most part very reactive in their approach to security, resulting from years of training as police officers. They are usually a grim reminder that policing and security are similar professions but very different in their attempt to reduce loss. In fact policing is concerned more with recovery of loss or the discovery of causation factors whereas security focus is on retention and prevention of loss. When entering many businesses today the first and last person we see is the security officer, thus like it or not the security person is the first and last impression of your organization. For many organizations like major retail stores, high traffic locations, banks and other high cash environments this is a must, if only to give the impression of a safe place to do business. Unfortunately the appearance alone if gone unchecked can be very detrimental to the reputation of your business. What are you doing to ensure that this person is a true representative of what your company is trying to portray, what demands have you placed on the guard companies management to ensure that a quality officer is sent to man your property, staff, information and importantly your reputation. What I will provide for you at this point are what I believe to be key performance indicators that will assist you in adequate assessing what you have in the first instance and secondly develop training to get the best bang for your buck. These are as follows; Emergency ResponsePublic RelationsAccess ControlCommunicationsInspections and ReviewsManagement Functions Let us begin with emergency response, as this indicator is where security duties become those of law enforcement and the guard is now trying to prevent further or continued loss to your investment. This can range form fire, medical /safety or criminal response, all of which are emergencies but indicate that security has not done proper inspections and reviews. Very harsh you may think to place the occurrence of emergency events on the security guard, but if you think about it that’s what they were hired for to prevent these events from happening. There occurrence means that security has failed. Inspection and review would be the indicator, as these the guard on the ground is your eyes ears providing real time monitoring of you assets. The guard should regularly be reporting to you the condition of each asset. Thus security must be seen and used as a management tool to ensure the smooth running of operation and timely deterrence of disruptive events. The idea of reporting brings us to the need for proper communication. If the there is lacking in this area then the entire function of loss prevention is at risk. I have on numerous occasions encountered security personnel with poor communication skills amplify already tense and hostile situation. Further, their inability to write effective reports delay and hamper the investigative work of the police. An am sure you can all relate to those occasions when for whatever reason the security guard at a company has had to fill in for the receptionist. The last point speaks to another performance indicator that cannot be left out, which is public relations. The entire premise of this article is to ensure good representation of company by the guard. Thus his / her knowledge of your company is important, who is the CEO, who has been terminated, what company does the cleaning. This concept goes hand in hand with customer service. If you have not had or insisted that your guards be trained in good customer service then you are risking daily embarrassment that could be expensive in the long run. Access control is another key indicator that should be on your list, and this means more than just who gets in and who is let out. Access control speaks also to the movement of persons in and around your property while they are there. Can your security team account for all persons on your property now and should they be where they are. Finally, do you have enough security resources in place to execute the task at a hand? This management function ends with you but is initiated by the guard who via the indicators listed above helps to give you a clear picture of what is going on. These give you a better framework to develop evaluations that go beyond early arrival, by helping you better understand what should be happening. The operation of security guard is not unique to the Bahamas and can be seem all over the world. For those of us who have traveled to large shopping malls, airports and amusement park we see these people doing the same duties that any guard would perform here at home. For those of you who are involved in managing the function for your company and use guard services I hope this helps in educating you and making you a better shopper. Additionally they can be developed to assist in creating job specific performance evaluations.