Police meet with Illidge Road entrepreneurs
GREAT BAY – For quite some time the Police Department has received numerous complaints from persons in the community and mainly from residents living on the A. Th. Illidge road in the section between the “Cottage Round About” and the entrance of Arch Road, also known as “The Strip”. The police have intervened in many of these complaints and taken measures closing these establishments down. This area where several popular night clubs, bars, other after hour’s businesses, supermarkets etcetera are located is also a residential area.
The complaints the police department still regularly receives are concerning issues such as loud music, businesses remaining open after closing hours, fights, traffic back-ups, illegal parking and the lack of proper street lighting, no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings just to name a few. The police department has taken the initiative to address the situation more actively and Community Police Officer Inspector Felix Richards was given the task to lead and oversee this project.
The owners/operators of the nightclubs, bars and other after hour businesses located in that area were invited by Inspector Richards to attend an information session held on Thursday September 8, at the police headquarters in Philipsburg, which they all gladly attended.
The purpose of this meeting was mainly for Inspector Richards to become acquainted with the owners/operators of these establishments, for the owners/operators to get acquainted with each other, to inform and a make them aware of the ongoing situation and for all parties involved to jointly look for the best alternatives and solutions, that will allow the residents of that area to enjoy a comfortable living with their families, without any disruptions or disturbances, and at the same time allowing the business owners/operators to conduct their business without repeatedly being reported to the police department by the residents.
During the meeting Inspector Richards gave a power point presentation about the strengths and weaknesses in the area. The intention is to involve the department of Vromi to discuss matters regarding the improvement of the infrastructure.
Dear Editor,
I do not usually react to comments made in connection with my letters, unless those comments are from an influential source. When I read about the numerous complaints the police still receive regularly for issues like illegal parking, disturbing loud music, businesses remaining open after the lawful closing hours, traffic backed up, just to name a few and as a consequence the police keep meetings with the wrong-doers, I reacted. I reacted because even though I dearly believe in dialogue (I usually to time to make sure that both parties understood what was going on) I believe more in order and consistency.
Then I read the Editorial Promoting Awareness and was confused. Which citizen has more rights, I asked myself. I expected the editor to comment on the fact that the police were not enforcing the law and that everybody has a right to a comfortable night rest and equal protection. Instead the editor took it upon himself to border on discrimination and decided that the authorities have better things to do than constantly run around dealing with these kinds of situations, etc.
Should it not have been so that the first time the police went to solve that problem, the consequences of non-compliance should have been made known to the wrong-doers? No meetings would be necessary if it was dealt with in the correct way the first time.
And even worse, to have follow-up meetings. If the business owners do not agree they have the Chamber of Commerce to complain by. They can take a lawyer and dispute the decision of the police, but it should never be so that the police have numerous complaints for the same situation from the same businesses and find themselves with their hands up in the air looking for a solution to abide by the behaviour of wrong-doers. A sign of weakness.
Besides that the Prosecutor’s Office should have intervened in that already after reading those numerous complaints, because that is part of their duty also. The reason for the traffic been backed up to the traffic lights and Bush Road was also clear to everyone. A drunken driver loses his driver’s license as soon as a report is made up against him for failing the drunken drivers’ test. There is no warning. Numerous complaints of different kinds and the wrong-doers are called to a meeting. Wrong approach.
I fully agree with the idea and goals of the Community police, but police do not make deals. Police enforce the law, sometimes by summons and more often by their presence, but they do not make deals. Especially not with constant wrong-doers to see how to get them to comply. The fact that follow-up meeting will be scheduled tells me that the police left the door open for the wrong-doers to continue.
Once more I applaud the work of the Community police but the actual police work must not get lost in the midst while neglecting the rights of others. Do not forget “zachte heelmeesters, maken stinkende wonden.” Promoting awareness is not keeping meetings with people who know better and do not do better. The police are not probation officers. Do you want to tell me that those wrong-doers hands are really tied?
Russell A. Simmons