by Linda Straker
- Anti-disruption Unit in place at all major official carnival and massive events
- Police force has adopted a zero-tolerance approach
There will be an Anti-disruption Unit at all major official carnival and massive events as part of police efforts to ensure that any individual or group who decides to engage in disruptive behaviour are put out from the venue.
‘We have established an anti-disruption unit, that will have responsibility for ejecting any behaviour that will disrupt any event,” Jessmon Prince, Assistant Commissioner of Police told the media in a briefing where he explained the police special operations for the carnival season.
He said that effectively, the police carnival operations began as of 16 July 2018 and since that time the force has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards offences of weapons, illegal narcotics and in general keeping the country’s security sustainable.
Trevor Rodney, Head of the Community Relations Department said that the anti-disruption unit comprises officers who will be observing the behaviour of those who will not listen to directives from the authorities and that their behaviour in the long term can endanger others.
“So, for example, on Soca Monarch Night there are some people whose behaviour will see them attempting to mash down the fence between the stage and patrons, running up on stage without permission or even using aerosols. A member of the unit will remove them because that is a disruptive behaviour,” he explained.
Other activities of the police carnival operations will be an increase in its mobile and foot patrols including the use of revolving lights, and using soft checkpoints leading to carnival events and major checkpoints at the venues.
Prince said since 16 July, the significant number of offensive weapons including cutlasses, scissors, knives and ray-bones (fish bone weapons) have been confiscated. “Most importantly, we have confiscated hundreds of pounds of cannabis,” he said.
Grenada’s carnival officially concludes on 13 -14 August 2018 but as of 1 August, the activities will be almost daily as promoters and the Spicemas Corporation (SMC) host events to provide feting opportunities for the thousands of visitors who have flocked the island for the cultural celebrations.
