RRU praised for increased patrols, guns seized

NALINEE SEELAL

The Rapid Response Unit (RRU) set up in 2013 to help police respond more swiftly to crimes and distress calls from the public, came in for praise yesterday by ACP Irwin Hackshaw who said the unit has come a long way in providing support for other units and continues to serve the public in a meaningful way.

In 2017, the RRU registered improved performance in the number of patrols across the country as compared to 2016. A total of 39,221 patrols were carried out in 2017, 2,010,more than patrols in 2016. This represents a 5.4 per cent increase. There were also increases in the number of night patrols in the six divisions, with 19,718 being recorded in 2016 and 21,689 in 2017, a 10.04 per cent increase.

The Police Service’s Communications Department said the RRU attached to the Northern and Southern divisions carried out the highest number of patrols of all six divisions in 2017, recording 8,106 and 7,994 respectively. The RRU has also been successful in recovering firearms and ammunition over the past two years.

In 2016, it seized 16 weapons, compared to 17 in 2017. Additionally, a total of 122 rounds of ammunition (113 rounds of .9mm ammunition, six rounds of .38mm ammunition and three 12-gauge cartridges), were recovered for 2016-2017. Since its inception in 2013, the RRU has seized 62 guns.

In 2016, 14 persons were arrested for narcotic possession; three for cocaine and 11 for marijuana, while in 2017, 20 persons were held by the RRU, for narcotic possession; 18 for marijuana and two for cocaine. This represents a 12.5 percent increase in arrests for narcotic possession.

Also, four persons were arrested by the RRU for Driving under the Influence in 2016, while five persons were arrested for the offence in 2017. In 2017, the unit’s officers arrested one person for motor vehicle larceny.