The Eastern Division of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force headed by Superintendent of Police, Hesran Ballantyne, has come in for commendations for making a breakthrough in every homicide incident that took place in that district this year.
Commissioner of Police Colin John credited witnesses coming forward and giving evidence as one of the factors for the success rate in the Eastern Division.
“We were able, based on the circumstance of the particular crime, obtain evidence that the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) concluded or considered sufficient to sustain and support a charge,” said Commissioner John.
The Commissioner also commended the officers of the Eastern Division for solving crimes in their division.
“The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force generally speaking, have hard working and dedicated police officers…. Thank you to all of the men and women of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force who, on a day-to-day basis, go out and, in most cases, go beyond the call of duty to ensure that the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are safe,” said Commissioner John.
The Eastern Division has four (4) police stations and extends from North Union in the south to Fancy in the north. Some of the communities in this division includes Park Hill, South Rivers, Colonarie, Dixon, Georgetown, Sandy Baby, Overland, Owia and Fancy.
On October 3rd, 2022, Superintendent Ballantyne was appointed the Officer in Charge of the Eastern Division, and since then, he has been making time to traverse the district with his officers.
Javid DaSilva, a 23-year-old and a 15-year-old resident of Caratal, appeared at the Serious Offences Court, Kingstown, on March 6, 2023, charged with the murder of Sheldon Welch, a labourer of Caratal. There was also another murder, which occurred when Dave Sutton was shot and killed in Langley Park, Georgetown, on Tuesday, April 25th, 2023. Jamal Benjie, a labourer of Georgetown, was charged and appeared before the Calliaqua Magistrate Court on April 28th, 2023. The Eastern Division also made a breakthrough in the shooting death of 46-year-old Michael Miller of Stubbs when on July 6th, 2023, they arrested and charged Xavier Corke of Caratal and Taly Jackson of Langley Park.