By Susan Mann
Caribbean Net News St Thomas-St John Correspondent
Email: susan@caribbeannetnews.com
ST THOMAS, USVI: Along with top territorial and federal law enforcement officials, US Virgin Islands Governor John deJongh, Jr. held an on-air news conference Wednesday to announce a joint initiative between the United States Attorney’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office to help stem the tide of gun violence, most of which is apparently drug related, in the territory.
The initiative focuses on maximising the resources of both agencies and soliciting the public’s support.
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USVI Governor John
deJongh, Jr. Photo:
Susan Mann |
US Attorney for the Virgin Islands, Anthony Jenkins, and VI Attorney General, Vincent Frazer signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies immediately before the mid-morning news conference.
The memorandum outlines the initiative, which includes the cross-designation of federal and local prosecutors on both federal and local cases. According to Frazer, this is not the first time cross-designation, between the two, has occurred. Frazer said it was just a matter of using federal and local resources to make the Virgin Islands safer.
DeJongh said the ability of the two agencies to leverage their resources depends on the public’s cooperation. “We need for individuals in our community to come forward and help, for this initiative to be a success.”
DeJongh said the strategy will also see the deployment of additional manpower and investigative resources to the territory. “The funding set aside in the FY2008 budget for witness protection programs will also go a long way towards make this joint-venture with the US Government successful,” deJongh added.
A $500,000 appropriation is included in the VI Government’s budget specifically to fund witness protection
“We can’t allow violent predators to undermine our judicial process in the Virgin Islands,” said Paul Murphy, First Assistant US Attorney. “Law enforcement officials will do their part, but citizens need to do theirs.”
DeJongh, who signed the bill allocating funds for the new witness protection program in June, is also making an appeal to parents to closely monitor the activities of their children, as recent statistics indicate increasing instances of minors being found with possession of a gun.
Other agencies represented at the press conference were the Virgin Islands Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigations; US Postal Inspector’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The DEA will assign six more Agents to the USVI, as well as, one firearms detection canine.
The US Postal Inspector’s Office announced that it has a specific plan in place to crack down on gun smuggling in to the region.
The new memorandum agreement was not available for review because details of the inter-agency operation are not being disseminated to the public.
In recent years gun violence in the territory has climbed to near epidemic proportions, with the current year’s homicide rate inching toward 40 such deaths. | 
