Minister of Justice Tackling outlines security actions and calls for shared responsibility

GREAT BAY--Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling addressed the people of St. Maarten today with a public statement on the recent surge in robberies and the concrete actions being taken by law enforcement and the wider justice chain. She spoke together with the support of the Chief of Police Carl John and the Chief Prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks, to underline that the issue is being treated with the full weight of her office.

“Good afternoon to the people of St. Maarten. I want to speak to you directly and with the full weight of responsibility that this office carries. That is why I am sitting here today to address you together with the support of the Chief of Police and the Chief Prosecutor,” Minister Tackling began. “Our country has seen a surge in robberies in recent days and weeks. I hear concerns, I feel your frustration, and I know the urgency. And I am here to share with you that we as law enforcement are not sitting still, and we have not been sitting still for the past months.”

She explained that, together with the Police Force of St. Maarten (KPSM) and the Prosecutor’s Office, a series of coordinated steps have been underway for some time, both on island and within the wider Kingdom. One key measure is a formal request for temporary support from the Dutch Marines for the high season, submitted already in October. “Case in point, we requested the assistance of the Marines for the high season already back in October. But this process has taken time and quite some negotiation with the Netherlands and we are awaiting this support so that they can further assist KPSM with daily operations,” she said. If that request is approved, the Marines will operate under the directives of the Chief of Police, Mr. Carl John. In addition, further assistance has been requested from the Vrijwilligers Korps St. Maarten (VKS).

“These actions have been months in the making, not just today or yesterday. After all, safety does not come from ad hoc or last minute responses, but safety comes from planning and from sustained actions,” Minister Tackling stated.

She noted that planning for additional investigative capacity started as early as July. At that time, a request was submitted for ten detectives from the Kingdom Cooperation Team, the RST, and the Dutch National Police. “We continue to work with our partners towards this, and for our safety and security, as well as that of our Kingdom, this investigative capacity is essential,” she said.

The Minister stressed that St. Maarten is not only waiting on external support, but is already receiving assistance. For the past four weeks, the Royal Marechaussee has been aiding KPSM with two investigators, and this support has already produced positive results in operations. “I know that our community is calling for more blue on the streets. This is already a fact and you will see even more with increased controls all over the island,” she added.

Preventive controls and searches are part of these measures and will continue for the foreseeable future. “Preventive searches are already also in place and will continue to be in place for the perceivable future. What do I mean when I talk about preventive searches? It means that our police officers have enhanced powers to stop and search you as a matter of public safety and security. I want to say that this is not an inconvenience, but it is a necessary measure and it is also one that we do not deploy lightly,” Minister Tackling explained.

At the same time, she reminded the public that enforcement alone cannot solve the root causes of crime. “In spite of all that we are doing and we plan to do, the hard truth that we cannot ignore is that crime does not begin with the police. The police respond to crime. We have to take a hard look at where crime can grow: in our homes, our neighborhoods, our schools, and the places where we fail to take care of each other,” she said. “The police and prosecution service are at the end. We as a community need to stand up and we need to stand tall to make our homes and our lives safer as well. This is the only way that we can move forward and help our law enforcement in the long run.”

She continued with a clear message about limits and responsibilities. “Justice cannot raise our children, whether they are small or they are grown. Justice cannot supervise every street corner or every business establishment. Justice cannot rebuild the social fabric of this country alone. We as a community need to be the strong, steady thread holding that social fabric together,” she stated.

Minister Tackling also linked the current situation to the need for long term structural investment in the justice chain. “If we have law enforcement doing its part and the community helping along, we must support this with sustained multi year funding to grow our police force, modernize policing, expand investigations and detention capacity, strengthen the use of technology to build a stronger and more resilient system. This is the level of investment I will continue to advocate for loudly, firmly and unapologetically, because our people deserve nothing less.”

She closed with a call to unity and vigilance. “To our community, we stand with you. Stay vigilant, support your neighbors, and if you see something, say something. To our officers, your commitment is visible. To our government partners, prevention is all of our responsibility. Let us invest sustainably in safety in this country. To St. Maarten, we will get through this with unity, accountability and long term structural investment. We will restore stability and peace of mind. Thank you very much for your time. Continue to follow our pages for more updates as we navigate this together.”

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