No guns turned in during amnesty, police issue warning
Police on Thursday provided an update on the gun amnesty, a programme that allowed individuals to surrender firearms without penalty, which ran for seven days during the last two weeks of January. Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for the Central Division, Luke Defreitas, revealed that “no guns were turned in,” but the force does […] The article No guns turned in during amnesty, police issue warning is from St. Lucia Times.
Black News 
Police on Thursday provided an update on the gun amnesty, a programme that allowed individuals to surrender firearms without penalty, which ran for seven days during the last two weeks of January.
Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for the Central Division, Luke Defreitas, revealed that “no guns were turned in,” but the force does not view this as a failure.
“The amnesty acted as a diagnostic tool for our community. The fact that the bins remain empty tells us something vital. It tells us that the deliberate choice of the criminal elements to remain illegally armed far outweighs the fear of prosecution, and that the illegal market is tighter than we estimated,” the Assistant Commissioner said.
He went on to describe the amnesty as a “final clear crossroad” to legality, which persons chose not to take, and said the force will now adopt a zero-tolerance approach regarding illegal firearms and ammunition.
“Those who chose to keep the illegal firearms did so with full knowledge of the path they were taking. You have made your choice. Now the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force will make ours,” Defreitas warned.
So far this year, the RSLPF has seized 16 illegal weapons, 10 after the amnesty. There have been 18 homicides, 60 per cent involving guns, with nine solved.
“To those still holding illegal weapons, put them down now or prepare to face the full unyielding force of the state. We will no longer ask, we will act.”
The article No guns turned in during amnesty, police issue warning is from St. Lucia Times.
