Deputy Commissioner of Police Quinn McCartney yesterday expressed concern about the reported 12 percent increase in murders, but said the murder rate on New Providence compared to this time last year is down.
"I think we have had a number of activities in the Family Islands," McCartney told The Nassau Guardian.
"Grand Bahama has had a significant number of murders this year, which has been a challenge to us.
"Then we have had a few other incidents throughout the islands.
"The national figure may be 12 percent or whatever percent it is, but by and large the New Providence murder rate is actually down or on par."
McCartney did not have statistics on him. He answered the question at Police Headquarters during a visit by Tuareano Johnson, Bahamian boxing champion.
During the recent budget debate in the House of Assembly, Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage said between January 1 and June 10, 2014 murders were down on New Providence by four percent compared to the same period last year.
Despite a lull in violent crimes in the last few weeks, murders increased nationally by 12 percent between January 1 and July 16, 2014, compared to the same period in 2013, according to The Nassau Guardian's records.
There were 58 murders recorded during that period, compared to the 65 murders recorded for the year so far.
The figures show that 11 people were murdered in January, eight in February, nine in March, 12 in April, 16 in May and seven in June.
There have been two murders recorded this month so far -- one on Eleuthera and another on New Providence.
The murder count does not include several matters that have yet to be classified, including the four bodies found on April 3 on Anguilla Cay.
While speaking to The Guardian last week, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said there has been a noticeable difference in the frequency of murders.
Three murders were reported since June 19.
Greenslade attributed that to the good work of police officers and the judiciary, which he said has put several known repeat offenders and career criminals behind bars.
McCartney said police will be relentless in ensuring people who commit crimes, especially violent crimes, are kept away from society.
"The initiative by the Office of the Attorney General with the Swift Justice Program, hopefully this will all help to get people who commit these offenses, once they go through the criminal justice system, to stay behind bars for long periods of time so that they cannot reoffend," he said.

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