Island Crime & Concerns

MURDERS – as of 08/2024 the murder total was reduced by 1 to 7; the BPS seemingly erring when indicting one of 4 people found dead 07/07/2024 had been murdered – read more here.  However, as of 27/10/2024, it appears the number may return to 8 following the stabbing of a 17 year old – read more about the island’s 2024 murders here.

• • The UK’s murder rate is about 1.2 per 100,000 population.  Thus far (July) 2024, Bermuda’s equivalent is about 20x this – 24 per 100,000. Guns, knives & gangs appear to be ravaging the island.  Many of the murders are unsolved – read more here.
  • 11/07/2024 – update – the BPS (inadvertently?) refer to the 4 deaths 07/07/2024  as murders – the press conference transcript can be read here
  • read more about the island’s murders here.

FIREARMS – regular firearms incidents – yet reward derisory? Residents are rightly concerned – read more here.

STABBINGS – knife crime issues – 2024: ‘police have seen 16 incidents of knife crimes this year and that the island could surpass last year’s record of 25 should the trend continue’ (source)

• EVIDENCE – the BPS seemingly have difficulty with evidence …
  • 11/2024 – Hundreds of DNA cases to be reviewed after exoneration in Bermuda. Read more here
  • 10/07/2024 – a man accused of murdering two people at the Robin Hood Pub in October 2021 was freed by the court yesterday due to a lack of sufficient evidence tying him to the killings. Read more here.
  • 30/05/2024 – a judge found, with regard to 3 accused of murder – ‘I concluded that there is no evidence on which you can find beyond a reasonable doubt …’ (30/05/2024 – murder trial)
  • 05/2024 – DNA evidence also appears problematic as highlighted by a miscarriage of justice.  Julian Washington will not be retried for a 2018 murder – an independent review of DNA evidence has been suggested – read more here.

• COLLISIONS – high number of vehicle collisions & road fatalities – 07/2024 – ‘Collisions remain common despite police crackdown‘.  The island is ranked 10th in the top 10 world countries for reported accidents per population – read more here.
  • 2024 road fatalities – more information
  • 2023 road fatalities number 13 – read more here

• CYCLE RENTAL – the potential damagers associated with cycle hire – read more here.

• NO-GO AREAS –  no-go areas and drug dealing

• SEARCH WARRANTS – the obtaining & use of search warrants
  • the BPS decline to disclose Detective Chief Inspector Arthur Glasford’s internal report about a search warrant – read more here – reiterating their refusal as can be read here.

• POLICE CORRUPTION – the number of BPS officers under investigation – 2021 report ‘Almost half of Bermuda’s police officers have been investigated for alleged wrongdoing in the past three years‘.  In 2020, Police disciplinary decisions were to be reviewed because a UK officer in charge of professional standards is not a BPS member – read more here.
  • 06/2024 – such is the problem, a dedicated “anti-corruption” department is being set up by the Bermuda Police Service – read more here
  • 07/2024 – Seven police officers are suspended from duty while under investigation for allegations of gross misconduct and criminality – read more here.

• OPPRESSIVE CONDUCT – alleged officer intimidation – Charges dropped against police sergeant and wife (04/07/2024)
  • 2021 former Chief of Police, Mr Corbishley’s ‘shock resignation‘ occurred  while he was under investigation for alleged gross misconduct toward a subordinate officer

• POLICE NUMBERS – the size of a constabulary for just 65,000 occupants –  currently about 360 – the lowest since the 1970’s. Whilst this may be considered a sizeable number of police staff for such a small island, the constabulary wants another 100 officers!  It is apparent recognises there is a shortfall, they simply appear to have done little about it.  Read more here

• LACK OF INVESTIGATION – the 1993 dismissal of the “the largest and most serious case involving conspiracy, drug trafficking and money laundering ever conducted by the Bermuda Police force” – arguably undermining the rule of law, paving the way for the subsequent crimes … murders, narcotics, gangs, firearms & knife crimes – above.

• OFFSHORE INVESTMENTS – The Paradise Papers & Bermuda names linked – did the BPS trouble to investigate the evidence/information?