Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Crime Stoppers Program

By Stephen Eric Lawrence

Introduction

Dedicated to improving lives in the Bahamas, Stephen Eric Lawrence leads a family charitable organization, the Lawrence Family Foundation. Among other activities, his foundation contributes to St. Matthew’s soup kitchen and the Unity House shelter for aged homeless. Stephen Eric Lawrence has also provided assistance to countrywide hurricane relief efforts and purchased 30 Kevlar vests that were donated to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

The Police Force

The police force is focused on preventing criminal activity in the community and utilizes the Crime Stoppers model, which was developed in the United States in the mid-1970s. With Crime Stoppers programs now spanning countries from the United Kingdom to South Africa, the model involves citizens calling a dedicated hotline with tips about crimes or suspicious activity they observe. The anonymity of this hotline encourages community involvement and combats people’s reluctance to become involved, due to fear of reprisal for providing information.

Conclusion

In addition, the media is called on to assist the police by regularly featuring an unsolved "Crime of the Week.” Each such case receives prominent coverage in newspapers and on the radio, which increases the chances of it being solved by community members.