At the time he was appointed Commissioner of Police last year, Ellison Greenslade identified 191 prolific offenders, many of whom still terrorize local communities, it was revealed yesterday.

"They are still roaming the streets of our country on a daily basis," said Greenslade, who was the special guest on the Star 106.5 FM program 'Jeffrey' with host Jeff Lloyd. Greenslade said many of these offenders have repeatedly been arrested only to end up on bail. Speaking generally on the crime issue, Greenslade said, "We are in a bad way as a people.  We are in a bad way as a country because of a lack of respect."

Up to yesterday, the murder count for the year stood at 79.  The commissioner reiterated the police force's commitment to addressing the problem and he highlighted the need for the public's help in the crime fight.

He said 245 illegal weapons have been seized for the year along with 3,330 rounds of ammunition. But many of the people responsible for illegal firearms are still walking the streets, the commissioner added.

"They've been charged, taken before the courts and we see them again re-offending," he said.

Greenslade also stressed yesterday that while police are focused on fighting the violent crime problem in The Bahamas, they are also committed to cracking down on illegal numbers houses.

"In the same way that we have written lots of traffic tickets, we have arrested and taken before the courts any number of persons in this community for illegal gambling," Greenslade said.

"We have actually moved to discipline internally our own officers in respect of the matter.  We have taken thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars worth of equipment, computers and other instruments of gaming, which are [stored after seizure] in police facilities across The Bahamas."

Greenslade continued:  "We've done it in the Family of Islands.  We've done it in Grand Bahama and we've done it in New Providence.  We simply continue to do our best and going forward that will be our trajectory - that we'll do the best we can."
Last year, the government considered legalizing illegal numbers houses, but decided to shelve that idea due to strong objections from the religious community.
The Ingraham administration has said that should the Free National Movement be returned to office in the next general election, it would call a referendum so that the Bahamian people could decide on the matter.

Asked whether his hands have been tied on this issue by policymakers, Greenslade said, "Unfortunately, that is something I cannot speak to.  I want to remain apolitical.  I don't want to get into that arena at all.

"I do not have that luxury, nor do I have that opportunity.  I want to continue to be your commissioner and I want to stay focused on the work that we should be doing as a police organization.

"We're focusing on crime.  Whatever that crime is, whatever the breach is we will focus on it and on a daily basis we will employ the resources and do the best we can."

In addition to discussing the general crime situation, the commissioner also responded to a Nassau Guardian article published weeks ago based on U.S. diplomatic cables obtained through the whistleblower organization, WikiLeaks.
The cables revealed that then Acting Commissioner of Police Reginald Ferguson in early 2009 told United States Embassy officials that he had recommended to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham as early as November 2007 that all but one of the then assistant commissioners of police be dismissed, including Greenslade.

Asked yesterday what he thought of this revelation, Greenslade said, "It did not shake my confidence.  I was very disappointed, not because of my particular station as the commissioner of police but because as a young Bahamian, from very, very humble beginnings, having suffered, having sacrificed along with siblings and parents who meant me well...I truly believed then and I still believe now in my heart of hearts that one can be the best that he or she wishes to be in the world and more particularly in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

"So when we your children make a claim to leadership and we demonstrate over the course of our working lives that we've given the best of ourselves, we expect a small bit a reciprocity and not a mean spirit."

The commissioner stressed that he did not want to be condescending to anyone in making that comment.

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