When, Just When Will We Be Safe?

Guest Opinion by J. J. Estemac 

I received the sad news this Monday of the assassination of a brother in arms, a fellow Virginislander, the retired Police Sergeant Liston T. Gumbs, Sr. As I understand the circumstances of his killing, he was shot during a robbery at a grocery store in the Lindberg area on St. Thomas. It is said his killer was a male on a bike from the Kirwan Terrace residential area. Any other resident could have been the victim, it so happen it was Sergeant Gumbs, who I personally knew; he has been an active member of VIRPO, the retired police organization of the VI. After serving in the police department for so many years, protecting the community against the criminal elements in this community, it is so ironic that in his retirement he fell victim to one of those criminals that have been plaguing this community for too long.

I ask the question; when, just when will we be safe from the criminal elements that has taken hostage this community? We acknowledge there are serious problems in our police department but the political leaders refuse to acknowledge the problems and continue their politics as usual approach to the serious problems within the department. It is as if they do not care about the crime situation in the community as long as they remain in power and collect their unearned salaries. There is a standing committee of the Legislature, Committee on Public Safety, Homeland Security and Justice. This committee’s membership comprises of the following senators: Carmen Miranda Wesselhoft, chairperson; Carlton Dowe, vice-chairperson; Liston A. Davis, Norman Baptiste, Ronald E. Russell, Celestino A. White, Sr. and Alvin L. Williams. We should hold them accountable for their inaction, their lack of proper oversight, which is their duty in the legislature.

The Virgin Islands Legislature has oversight responsibility over the other two branches of government, namely the executive and the judiciary. But the Legislature has been derelict in carrying out their fiduciary responsibility for the people of the Virgin Islands. When was the last time you heard or seen a hearing called to address the serious problems facing our police department? I was not in favor of the appointment of Mr. James Mc Call as Police Commissioner, because when he served as Assistant Police Commissioner for over five years he did not prove he could handle the job. Governor de Jongh appointed him and the senate approved him in spite the fact that Mr. Novelle Francis, Police Chief at the time of the hearing showed he had a better understanding of the operation of the department. Now Mr. Novelle Francis is the Assistant Commissioner but acting as commissioner in the absence of Mr. McCall. Has Commissioner Francis been given a free hand to run the department as he sees fit? Can he make the necessary and prudent changes needed to improve the police services?

I have come to the conclusion some time now, that there are elements in this society that do not want an effective police department. They do everything they can to obstruct its development. Some may remember the police operations during the Fountain Valley massacre and other serious crimes in the Virgin Islands and the police response was effective in the degree that the criminal elements were identified and arrested, when they survived the confrontation with the police. While there have been some notable arrests of some criminals, it has not been consistent. Professionalism of the police organization has been stymied by the same elements in the community that do not want an effective police organization. Some representatives in the legislature represent those elements, it appears. It is historical that the police department makes two steps forward and three backward. That appears to have been the pattern for the past ten to twenty years. We can join forces against the criminal elements in our community. We must do it together, all law abiding persons of good will who love this community must resist evil and its agents or be consumed. The criminal elements are evil.

I believe we can begin to be safe again in this community when we demand of our elected and appointed representatives in government that they fulfill their fiduciary duties to the people by enforcing all laws and supporting our law enforcement agencies by professionalizing the services. Stop the appointments based solely on political consideration instead of competency. The de Jongh/Francis administration needs to set the tone for the executive branch by weeding out those persons that are derelict, incompetent and just plain inadequate for the position they hold. If they do not want to fire them find them a job for which they are better suited, where they do little or no damage to the public service image and services. We can be safer if we demand better services.

J. J. Estemac
St. Thomas, VI

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