Gun crime ‘rife’ in BVI, Ullger warns

Acting Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger has described gun crime as “rife” in the Virgin Islands, disclosing that officers have seized 18 illegal firearms since the start of the year. Ullger made the disclosure during an appearance on the Talking Points radio programme, where he was questioned about steps the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) has taken to reduce gun crime and prevent firearms from entering the territory. “Whether we like it or not, gun crime for such a small place is rife. And we can’t hide from the fact that there are a lot of illegal firearms. I mean, this year we’ve already seized 18 illegal firearms on our territory,” Ullger stated. He said some people possess the weapons illegally for protection, while others use them to commit crimes, a development he described as very worrying.

The Acting Commissioner also linked firearms to the illegal drug trade and pointed to the BVI’s proximity to the United States Virgin Islands, where he said gun laws are less restrictive. Ullger said the prevalence of illegal weapons has also affected how officers approach their duties. Although he would prefer to see police patrol without firearms, he said current conditions require officers to protect themselves. “I would love to see our police officers patrolling our streets without any guns whatsoever, but unfortunately that’s not the place we’re in,” Ullger stated. He said the RVIPF is working with the National Security Council to explore increased sentences for firearm possession, giving courts greater scope to impose penalties intended to deter offenders. “If people understand that they’ll go to prison for a longer time for being in possession of firearms, they’ll think twice about it,” Ullger said. The police force also…