CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, CMC – A state of emergency has been declared in the US Virgin Islands by acting Governor Osbert Potter following an upsurge in shootings in St. Croix. However a curfew has not been imposed.
On Friday, Potter who said the statement of emergency went into immediate effect – also appealed to residents to help police stem the violence.
“As the vicious cycle of senseless murders and gun play permeates our territory, I appeal to the residents of this community, who are the parents, relatives, friends, and associates of the victims, to cooperate with and assist police and all law enforcement agencies in their efforts to solve these crimes,” he said.
“Since many of these violent crimes seem to be retaliatory in nature, we must, as a community, change the mind set of victims and their associates, who too often take it upon themselves to resolve matters on their own, as if to preserve some code of honour.”
Potter added that unless “misguided” attempts to enforce “street justice” are discouraged and overcome, “we will continue to bury more and more of our residents, particularly those among the young male population”.
“The time has come, if we are to survive as a community, for each of us to demonstrate responsibility, and share what we know with our law enforcement community, and enable our duly authorized professionals to do the jobs which they have been trained to do,” the acting governor said.
The state of emergency will remain in place until otherwise ordered by Governor Kenneth Mapp, who is currently out of the country.
“Under the current order, all territorial peace officers are hereby deputized as law enforcement officers to perform public safety functions,”the acting governor said.
With the implementation of the state of emergency, checkpoints will be established, the leave of all police officers has been cancelled and offers will be placed on 12 hour shifts
