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MARIGOT--General Bertrand Soubelet, Head of the Gendarmerie in the Overseas Territories has called for more specialised structures to assist youth in difficulties in the on-going quest to reduce delinquency, at a closed meeting held with President Aline Hanson on Friday.
"The Brigade for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (BPDJ) intervenes in the schools, but it is more important to create these specialised structures to prevent re-occurrences of crimes, which will also work on re-integrating these young offenders into society again," he suggested. "There are too few of these structures in St. Martin and other overseas territories."
His comments were one of a few recommendations he put forward to stem crime in St. Martin.
The General was on his first trip to the Northern Islands after taking up the post in July 2014. He was here to see the results of a report on delinquency and was accompanied by Capitaine Imbert, assistant to Colonel Rémi Vagnier, Commandant of the Gendarmerie in Guadeloupe, and Commandant Paul Betaille, Commandant of the Gendarmerie in St. Martin.
Also present at the meeting was Territorial Police chief Albert Conner.
President Hanson briefed the general on security measures planned for 2015, including actions within the Collectivité's Security and Prevention of Delinquency (CLSPD) department. She noted the European Operation Plan 2014-2020 has training programmes available for the youth and the signing recently of a convention with the military/educative academy in Guadeloupe (RSMA) that permits 100 St. Martiners to be educated and to learn a trade.
She added work is also being done to instruct parents on the values of the Republic to pass on to their children.
Hanson also reminded that 20 extra surveillance cameras will be installed in the territory this year, and the rank and file police have been increased from 24 to 29 officers. This news was welcomed by the General, who agreed video protection assists in resolving crimes quicker, while also having the benefit of permitting Police or Gendarmes to catch offenders in the act of their crimes.
General Soubelet advocated a strengthening of the partnership between Police and Gendarmerie. Together with more joint patrols, one measure suggested was to give Police more training, and to teach them specific defensive skills when intervening during incidents.
"The problems of delinquency are the same as those in Guadeloupe, only the scale is different between the two territories," he stated.
After visiting the video surveillance command centre, he assured President Hanson of his full support.
"You can count on me to improve the resources of the Gendarmerie and reinforce actions if necessary, he said. I will make this effort because there is a real problem here to resolve. These offenders are getting younger, and it is not only here that this phenomenon exists."
