Do we have a count of how many of the 407 RCIPS (343 enlisted, 64 civilian) are engaged full time in the Traffic Unit? How much of the more than $30 million/year we pay is apportioned to that unit, and how do they rationalise that expenditure? Is there an annual report or statistics that can be inspected by the public? What can the public do to instruct RCIPS’ priorities (which seem determined never to meet minimum performance expectations)?
Auntie’s answer: For the first part of your question, I was able to get the staffing numbers directly from the RCIPS. The Traffic Management Unit has an inspector, who is in charge of two sergeants, 10 constables and three civilians.
Concerning your interest in the specific police budgets and statistics, an RCIPS spokesperson explained that you would need to file an FOI request for that data as that would take more time to research. Chief Inspector Raymond Christian is the police FOI manager and he can be reached by phone on 244-2905 or 936-2538 or by email.
The spokesperson added, “We do create annual statistics and reports which are posted on our website upon completion. Last year’s reports are still being processed.”
If you have a specific complaint you would like to take to the police, the spokesperson said for “public concerns, opinions and advice for the police, our performance and outreach” you can use the RCIPS social media outlets — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, email its public relations department, or voice your concerns with your neighbourhood officers.
In addition, you can go to the independent Office of the Ombudsman which, among its responsibilities, handles maladministration complaints against the police. For more information on the ombudsman here is the website.
Thanks Auntie.
So the the Traffic Management Unit of this entire island is composed of 16 people? (an inspector, two sergeants, 10 constables and three civilians). Is it just me or is something horribly wrong with this level versus the population and the number of cars on island?
No wonder road infractions aren’t getting better. There is a brazen disregard in general.
Spot on
The RCIPS.ky website only publishes in hindsight, very select, and witness supported, “Crime Statistics” which, due to ongoing public apathy derived from chronic RCIPS inactivity, bear no resemblance to real world conditions. Further, in return for our >$30mln a year in public funding, there are no public financial reports for inspection on their website of any kind, for any department, for any year.
The funny thing about how the Cayman Islands really works is that the first thing people in power ask when ruffled, is “who wants to know”, or more politely, “who am I speaking with”. Depending on the person asking, it is quickly followed by some form of institutionalized retreat, or a more formalized stonewalling like, “please file an FOI request”, and depending on the upstream Minister, perhaps a retribution of some kind. I don’t think anybody savvy, that has had some field experience with how the Cayman Islands works, will be airing serious concerns, opinions, and advice on public social media like Facebook (2606 followers), Twitter (9 followers?), and Instagram (38 posts, 373 followers?) until some future regime change and Ministry staffing overhaul. The FOI is not anonymous either, for the same reason, “who wants to know (because we’re going to make your life difficult)”. The answer is: we all have a right to know, but few are going to consciously put their name in the crosshairs asking the obvious questions, knowing there could well be consequences.
Great observation and spot on!
Correct , a great post by any measure. Cayman is far from the real world of laws and information grants to casual, inquisitive observers. I’m sure that even the politicians are not exempt from the ‘Stonewalling’ that gets thrust in your face in such circumstances. The RCIPS after all falls under the Governors watch, we all now how that has gone over the last decade. As far as posting a target on your back with your name in some sight-crosshair’s… Its well understood that those that stay way below the radar in places like Cayman, tend to get much further ahead. Way below periscope depth is even a safer bet , but sadly, the society eventually suffers as a result of people being unable to seek answers to their questions.
Our 9-1-1 operators always waste time asking who they are speaking with, like the identity of the Good Samaritan reporting an incident should weigh on their decision to relay the report on to EMS. Our whole apparatus charged with protecting the welfare of the public is contaminated with unproductive subjective opinions on “Who Ya Daddy Is”. It needs urgent review.
Great questions that remain unanswered. The information must be public and shouldn’t need to file FIO request.