Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shanta Knowles leads senior police officers from Grand Bahama and representatives from various government agencies through the community of Pinder’s Point on Friday, February 2, 2023.

PINDER’S POINT, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas - Assistant Commissioner of Police and Officer in Charge of Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas, Ms. Shanta Knowles, accompanied by senior police officers, Senator Kirkland Russell and representatives from various government agencies conducted a walkabout in Pinder’s Point on Friday, February 2, 2024.

The newly appointed Assistant Commissioner of Police told the media that the purpose of the walkabout was a part of her plan to traverse all the communities in Grand Bahama to “find out the concerns of residents” in each community. Pinder’s Point was the first community for the walkabout by ACP Knowles.

ACP Knowles was adamant in ensuring that the walk through the community was not just something done by the Grand Bahama Police Department, but featured other agencies, including Urban Renewal, the Department of Immigration, the Defence Force, Department of Health and the L.E.A.D Institute.

“The goal is for us to walk the community and to meet the people, hear their needs and be able to address their needs, especially when it comes to crime and the fear of crime in the various communities,” said ACP Knowles.

“We’ve had a very good response from the people in Pinder’s Point. We know that there is an area that we can brush up on, but I appreciate the candid comments that we’ve received.”

The Assistant Commissioner of Police said it is her hope that the walkabout on Friday would not be the last walk through the community. She is hoping that such a drill would become a regular thing, not just in the Pinder’s Point community, but through communities throughout the island. She’s also hoping that the other government agencies who accompanied her on Friday would see the need to duplicate their efforts along with her police force.

ACP Knowles is looking to not only walk through each community in Grand Bahama, but also through the communities in the Northern Bahamas.  Asked what some of the comments were she received from residents in Pinder’s Point during her walk through the community, ACP Knowles said that for the most part, all of the comments have been positive and encouraging.

“Residents have said that this is a good initiative and that they were pleased to see the police and individuals from so many government agencies within their neighborhood,” said Knowles.

As the ACP and her senior officers spoke with residents of Pinder’s Point, representatives from Urban Renewal collected information from the residents about their concerns and that information will be turned over to the relevant agencies, with intentions of providing the residents with the respective help that is needed.

Deputy Director of Urban Renewal Development on the island of Grand Bahama, Senator Kirkland Russell called the effort “successful” from several aspects. He noted that the community of Pinder’s Point is considered a high crime area but pointed out that other issues pertaining to house repairs, health issues, social services and NIB challenges have been indicated during Friday’s walkabout.

“The whole idea was to bring a multi-group of agencies together, walk the communities, hear the concerns and have the relevant persons there who can address those issues in the shortest possible time,” said Senator Russell.

“It’s all about bringing relief, comfort and removing the anxiety from residents. This was not a project where we went in to hunt down people and arrest them, but to hear the legitimate concerns of residents so that we can go back and try to find the best ways of solving those problems.”

Senator Russell pointed out that in 2023, there were zero murders recorded on the island of Grand Bahama and this, he said, is a result of initiatives like the walkabouts by the police through various communities and the hard work of officers at the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shanta Knowles (center) giving a short talk to officers and representatives from various government agencies before beginning their walk through the Pinder’s Point Community on Friday, February 2, 2023.

Deputy Director of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama, Senator Kirkland Russell, along with representatives from the Department of Immigration and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force chat with residents during Friday’s walk about in Pinder’s Point.

Several residents in Pinder’s Point, Grand Bahama, expressed delight in having the police and other representatives from various government agencies visit and talk with them during a walkabout on Friday, February 2, 2023. Above a resident poses for a photo with Assistant Commissioner of Police and Officer in charge of Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas District, Shanta Knowles (left), Senator Kirkland Russell (right) and a representative from the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.

Senator Kirkland Russell, Deputy Director of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama, along with Assistant Commissioner of Police for Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas District, Shanta Knowles, along with other officers, chat with a resident in Pinder’s Point.

(BIS Photos/Lisa Davis)