Cannonier: Bermuda remains in a crime crisis

FRIDAY, APRIL 27: Opposition Leader Craig Cannonier today responded to the first quarter crime statistics.

The statistics revealed the police and prosecution have a 100 per cent conviction rate for gun crime so far this year.

Five Supreme Court trials have resulted in seven convictions for offences including murder, attempted murder, gun possession and robbery between January and March.

Mr Cannonier said: “We appreciate a couple of facts behind this week’s release of Police crime statistics for the first quarter of 2012.

“Police appear to be making relatively quick arrests on some serious crimes and they are netting more convictions.

“These are encouraging developments because the increased possibility of being caught and jailed, if sustained, may start deterring would-be lawbreakers.

“This is how law enforcement is supposed to work.

“But beyond the statistics of an overall downward trend in crime, there is the reality that crime continues to plague Bermuda.”

Mr Cannonier said Bermuda is not out of the woods by a long shot.

“Crimes against the person are up, with 36 firearms incidents, 16 ‘confirmed’, one gun murder and two woundings — all unacceptable.

 “Crimes against property are up, with burglaries still rising and crimes against the community are up.

“We take no comfort whatsoever in the downward trend in crime.

“Extremely serious problems remain, and they will require continuing and unprecedented efforts to reduce criminal activity to the point that we can take back what the police said a few short weeks ago, that ‘no place is safe’.