Law Enforcement Challenge

Guest Opinion by J. J. Estemac

Anyone who is conscious of their surroundings, who is a casual observant, can see the lack of law enforcement in our community. The agencies and persons charged with the enforcement of our laws and regulations are blatantly derelict. Does the current administration consider law and order in our community of any importance, of any priority? Daily we see people violating laws, all kinds and categories of laws. From traffic laws, health laws, business laws, nuisance laws, etc. Do the members of the legislature, the “first branch of government,” consider acceptable the poor enforcement of our laws, laws that were instituted by that branch of government? It is up us the citizens of these Virgin Islands, those of us who still believe in an orderly society, to pressure the current administration to be more proactive in enforcing our laws. The buck stop with the citizens not only the elected and appointed representatives are responsible, all of us are.

The legislature passes Bills which may be signed into law by the Governor. Yet neither branches of government seems to be concerned over the lack of consistent enforcement of our laws and regulations by the agencies charged with those responsibilities. Are the citizens, the residents of the Virgin Islands concern that our laws are not consistently enforced? Our tax dollars pay the salaries of personnel assigned to law enforcement and other regulatory agencies and yet these agencies are failing to consistently fulfill their statutory duties and the leaders of our community seem unconcern. There are many who lament about being harassed for petty violations while more serious offenses are ignored, but what are they doing other than lamenting about the inconsistencies of law enforcement? What are our legislators who have oversight responsibilities doing to correct and improve our law enforcement functions?

We observe daily vehicles with improper license plates, all types of license plates that make it difficult for the citizens to recall or identify. We see drivers on the road with questionable driving habits and it is rumored that many bought their license. If that is true something is definitely wrong with our leadership. Because that racket was supposed to have been arrested a long time ago. No one to my knowledge and observation checks the food dispensing businesses on a regular basis or in the night time and on week-end to see if there is compliance with our health laws. Does the Fire Service inspects businesses regularly for compliance? Does the Dept. of Licensing and Consumer Protection regularly check businesses for their licenses, particularly in the evening and week-ends? Are the vehicles used to transport the public inspected on a regular basis for safety compliance and insurance?

There is a definite break down in law enforcement and those responsible would give all types of lame duck excuses why they are not more diligent and consistent in carrying out their duties. What is inescapable is the fact that there is a lack of dynamic leadership, dedicated and competent leadership that leads by example. We have a moral crisis in our community and I do not hear civic nor religious leaders stressing the need for a moral rearmament to restore some level of morality. With improve morality we will have improve compliance with our laws and enforcement would not be as critical. The ethical level in our community has reached a low that almost everyday we hear of some public official that is suspected of corruption, of dishonesty, of violating the laws of the land. We hear talk about juvenile delinquency, but juvenile delinquency did not appear from nowhere; they are fostered by adult delinquency. We have to address the adult delinquency with more vigor and consistency and stop inventing justification or granting leniency. We need to deter delinquency by just punishment which is severe enough to deter delinquency.

Unfortunately, those in the leadership positions currently does not seems to possess the vision nor the will to propose a regime of stiff penalties for both adult and juvenile delinquents, to clean up our society. Dishonesty appears to be endemic in our society. Many persons, including those in government do not believe in the practice of honesty as a virtue, as a moral imperative. There is a practice of covering up for one another. That is why it may become necessary to get assistance from the federal government to clean up not only our government agencies but our community at large. The corruption and delinquency seems to be so widespread that not too many local persons are willing to do the cleaning up. It seems to affect too many friends and relatives. But those of us who believe in law and order, in a decent society where respect for government is paramount, where citizens subscribe to the rule of law, should band together and promote a moral rearmament.

J. J. Estemac
St. Thomas, VI

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