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Few Residents Show For Police Town Meeting

Sept. 23, 2004 – V.I. Police Department officials have been making an effort to meet residents face-to-face and hash out community problems. And, according to Elton Lewis, police commissioner, the department even welcomes criticism. But judging from the number of citizens who showed up for the latest town meeting, residents aren't enthusiastic.
"There's more police here than citizens," Lewis observed Wednesday night. A sparse crowd of about 15 residents sat at lunch tables in the cafeteria of the St. Croix Educational Complex prepared to get information, give input and ask questions.
Lewis did little to conceal his dissatisfaction at the poor showing and took some time to admonish callers to talk shows and the "electronic and print media" for chastising the efforts of the department saying, "When it is time to step up to the plate, this is the kind of showing we receive."
The public questioned the commissioner on school security, accessibility of the 911 emergency number, police involvement in youth programs, police manpower, school security and additional substations. Lewis admitted several times the department faces "challenges," and the department "could be doing a better job," but added, "There are a lot of good things we are doing."
He counted among the department successes ongoing training of police and civilian personnel, the resurgence of the Neighborhood Watch program, the D.A.R.E. program, which has graduated over 30,000 schoolchildren since its inception, and the Weed and Seed community partnership programs. As part of the homeland security initiative, Lewis said the department is getting a bomb disposal vehicle and a "state of the art" communication vehicle. Lewis said some police officers have completed advanced training with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
A junior-high-school teacher pleaded for cameras in all schools. He told the commissioner that his school was recently robbed of $15,000 in teaching equipment. "How can we get cameras in the all the schools?" the teacher asked. Lewis admitted that school security "was a longstanding problem." He said a grant is presently being prepared to equip all the schools with cameras. "Funding still needs to be found for personnel to monitor the cameras," Lewis said. Lewis said the department is responsible for school security, but "the department of education has a responsibility to secure the premises."
Chris Powers, who said he has lived on St. Croix for two years, wanted to know what Lewis was doing to recruit more police. Lewis said out of 100 potential applicants, only about 10 would make it all the way through graduation. And the percentages may get smaller when polygraph tests are added to the existing drug, physiological and agility tests. Lewis said he is looking into "lateral transfers" of trained officers from the mainland. But the unions may object to this solution. "Salary is an issue," Lewis said. He explained that the V.I. has collective bargaining, unlike most states. "We will have to take it to the unions," Lewis said. "My goal is 100 additional officers for each district."
A resident wanted to know why 911 calls are routed to St. Thomas. Both Novelle Francis, territorial chief, and Cpl. Anastasia Rivers, supervisor of police communications, put the blame on cell-phone companies. "It doesn't happen when you use a land line," Francis said. Rivers said St. Croix residents need to call 772-9111 and St. Thomas/St. John residents should call 776-9110 for emergency response. "I know it's an inconvenience, dialing all those numbers," Rivers said. She suggested residents program the numbers into their phones.
Rivers gave the community tips to ensure faster police response: Memorize landmarks and count how many houses or speed bumps you pass to get to your house, she said. All homes should have the house number displayed. Rivers also said that the operators need to ask certain questions and asked the public to "be patient with the dispatchers."
Lewis said substations are being contemplated near the Divi Carina Bay Hotel and Resort in St. Croix and Red Hook in St. Thomas, but cost is a factor. "Staffing requires money and we simply don’t have the money at this time," Lewis said. "It's a good idea and we want to keep it on the drawing board."
A proposed Coral Bay substation in St. John does have $25,000 designated for it, Lewis said.
Sen. Emmett Hansen II suggested partnering with the Fire Department to establish police substations in more remote areas. Lewis said that was a possibility, "We coexisted with the Cotton Valley fire station; it is something we can look at, and it will help with our response time." Lewis promised to take the matter up with the director of fire services. Hansen was the only senator or aspirant present at the meeting.
Lewis said the department has hired a grants manager, W. Reilly Waugh, to identify, write and manage police federal grants. "We are not sending back a single penny," Lewis said. "We are spending it all."
He urged the public to get involved with their volunteer program. He called for people who are interested in creating youth programs to come and volunteer. He also tasked the territorial chief with bringing back the police cadet program.
Lewis closed the meeting by asking citizens to be involved, establish neighborhood watch programs and report any suspicious occurrences to police.
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