Custodial restrictions, strategy to curb violence coming
Enforcements on time limits in police custody and the detention of people under arrest can be expected in the coming year.
Rena Lalgie, the Governor, announced in the Throne Speech that delayed parts of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 2006 will be put into place.
Ms Lalgie also promised the creation of a Violence Reduction Strategy to tackle the underlying social causes of gang activity and prevent reoffending.
Of the push for Pace, she said: “Regrettably, 18 years after the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 2006 was enacted, the fulsome nature of its intended protections for those who encounter the vast powers of the prosecutorial apparatus are not yet in force.
“Therefore, the remaining provisions of Pace, which deal with custody time limits and the detention of arrested persons will be brought into force during this session.”
Pace was designed to set parameters for police on how to collect evidence, identify suspects and conduct interviews.
It was designed to reduce the overreach of criminal justice organisations during investigations.
The Violence Reduction Strategy was introduced after Ms Lalgie warned of antisocial behaviour continuing to unravel communities.
She said its mission statement would be “to implement strategies that will reduce violence in Bermuda, particularly gang violence, in collaboration with various agencies, with emphasis on prevention, intervention and integration”.
The strategy will offer a guide on how to combat “unaddressed, multigenerational trauma” and unite agencies to intervene in growing gang activity.
Attention will be drawn also to reincorporating former gang affiliates back into the community to prevent them from falling back into old cycles.