Increased Police – By Kisean Joseph
Increased Police Presence Carnival
Police will intensify operations during this year’s Carnival season as a number of repeat offenders prepare for release from prison before the end of July.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Lisborn Michael confirmed the enhanced deployment in an interview with Observer Media, saying the force is taking proactive steps to safeguard the public during one of the country’s busiest festive periods.
“The police are basically doing some extra work to ensure, notwithstanding that those persons are going to be out, to ensure that we are safe,” Michael said.
The Assistant Commissioner said the timing of the releases is not unusual, pointing to a recurring pattern in which offenders serving short sentences are freed around holidays and celebrations. He said sentences as brief as one week or one month have contributed to a cycle of seasonal releases for which police must continuously prepare.
Michael did not detail the specific operations planned but indicated that “strategic and intelligence-led planning” would guide the force’s response. He said community engagement remains a key component of that approach, with information gathered from residents serving as a road map for operational decisions.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of persistent concerns over repeat offending. Of the 260 individuals arrested and charged between January and May this year, Michael said 148 were identified as repeat offenders, with some having been arrested and charged as many as six times within the same period.
Michael acknowledged the limitations of enforcement alone, arguing that lasting change requires coordinated support from rehabilitation and social services. “The police can arrest and charge as many people as they can, but if you’re not getting enough support from the other limb that ought to help them, you’re going to find me going around in circles,” he said.
