Opening Statement by Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. 
at a Press Conference on Public Safety

Good Afternoon. 

As I begin this afternoon, I want to start by reemphasizing that what we are dealing with in our public safety response to the acts of violence that have concerned us all is a Territory-wide response to a years-in-the-making set of problems. The 44 murders of calendar 2010 are unacceptable and go straight to the values of our community and, has understandably, caused fear in so many of our residents as they conduct their daily affairs. What is most unfortunate is that over 55 percent of those that were victims of the crime or have been charged were either previously in the justice system or a person of interest to our law enforcement officials. This fact goes to a larger set of issues that we must address in our community, but it is a reality. Three-fourths of these murders have been retaliatory, targeted to address personal feuds, acts of revenge, and issues of turf. We have, in many cases, been fortunate to either to have caught the perpetrator or to have identified a suspect shortly after the incident. In fact, our arrest rate this calendar year at 65%, surpasses the national average.

Simultaneously, crime categories such as robberies, assault, rape, burglary and arson have decreased since January 1st when compared to previous years. We continue to implement anti-crime strategies such as road blocks at highly trafficked areas which have also been referred to recently as saturated patrols, and increased surveillance and enforcement in other “hot spot” areas. The intent of these initiatives is the enforcement of the most basic laws. And they have already netted favorable results: arrests for various infractions, confiscation of both illegal guns and illegal drugs. As a result, since January 1 of this year, we have removed more than 170 illegal guns off the streets of this territory. 

While they are few who will disagree that what happened on Monday, July 12 was a tragedy that had been set in motion long ago, we also know that such a tragedy demands action and must be dealt with as a specific crisis even as we continue to work in other areas and on broader issues. 

And so today, I have asked the Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of Police, the district Police Chief, the Attorney General and the Commissioners of Housing, Parks and Recreation and Tourism, to be here as I announce the major points of my Administration’s Action Plan for the Coki Point Area. This strategy includes items of immediate action, some already underway, as well as action items of a longer term. 

Taken together, we are confident that the neighborhood known as Coki Point will be a safer and cleaner, its traffic and legal businesses better managed and regulated, and its illegal businesses gone. 

Our efforts must involve both those who live in the area and who work there. Our goal will be to make this entire area, including the magnificent beach that has for generations drawn residents and visitors alike, a place where all will feel welcomed and safe. 

Let me begin by stating that the first set of actions has already been taken by the Police Department. 

The VIPD will:

a. Maintain presence of three officers (Scooter, ATV, foot patrol) during business hours
b. Install surveillance cameras
c. Utilize intermittent K-9 Patrol 
d. Assess the need/ability to install additional environmentally sensitive lighting for security measures
e. Execute measures to alleviate traffic congestion and maintain orderly 

But after events like last week, I feel that we cannot move ahead without taking a very hard look at what happened and see how we can improve. We need to look at what was done right and what could have been done better, who performed as expected and, to be very frank, who did not. 

I have already ordered a prompt and thorough inquiry into police performance at the time of the events last week, in particular with a focus on the planning that may or may not have been possible in advance of what occurred, as well as the actions of the officers on the scene at the time of and after the event. 

This inquiry will also look into the preparation and performance of the Special Operations Bureau of the Police Department. Once I have the results of this inquiry, I will be able -- with the participation and advice of the Commissioner -- to decide what changes are needed, who might be a candidate for reassignment or re-training, and similar actions. 

I would note that until this inquiry is complete, it would be both premature and unfair to comment further, and I will not make further comments today. 

Commissioner Francis and I continue to be focused on seeking more and better performance from the men and women on the VIPD force from the Chiefs on down to the newest of recruits. 

Department of Housing Parks & Recreation:
(to be executed with the assistance of the Department of Public Works)

a. Curtail vendor operations 10 Days during clean up execution
b. Fix the fence
c. Undertake landscaping measures at key areas
d. Ensure removal of other debris on GVI property
e. Evaluate and select vendor for bathroom reconstruction 
f. Ensure portable bathroom stalls are on site
g. Ensure roadside clean-up
h. Continue project plan for a new vendor pavilion and boardwalk on GVI property 

Department of Justice:

a. Draft legislation to prohibit business solicitation on public road ways and beaches
Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority:
a. Identify space for trash bins and schedule removal

These action items will be done in conjunction with our partners in this area and therefore, contact has been made with the principals of Coral World and the families that own the private section of the property that comprise Coki Point. During this period, we are interested in addressing the debris and landscaping associated with areas of the property that are not government owned, but that affect issues of health and the visual beauty of what so many of us and our visitors enjoy.

We will commence execution of our plan on August 2, thereby allowing for the shifting of existing resources to work with our private sector partners and their employees.

I have also instructed the Commissioner of Housing, Parks and Recreation to submit a cost estimate to complete the pavilion and boardwalk so that required funding can be identified.

The long-term objective is to ensure that we enhance the beauty of this area and continue to improve the surroundings. I will seek to initiate discussions with the private property owners to purchase that portion not now owned by the Government with the long-term plan being to put all our beaches into a Territorial Park System. The Commissioner of Housing, Parks and Recreation and my legal counsel have already been instructed to review Title 32 and to identify both an administrative structure and a source of revenue. 

I now call on Police Commissioner Novelle E. Francis, Jr. to provide more details on the police component of my Administration’s Action Plan for Coki Point. 

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