Raising the rewards that Crime Stoppers Bermuda can offer for actionable intelligence to close the book on the island’s gun and knife murders is a way to “entice the public to participate in bringing these perpetrators to justice”.

Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, told The Royal Gazette yesterday that the move reflected the need to pivot in the face of “the increase in violent gun and knife crime”.

“Up until now, Crime Stoppers was offering rewards of up to $5,000 for information that would lead to an arrest and charge,” he said.

“With the increasing of violence, we took a look at that and said that in order to give Crime Stoppers more teeth, we reached out and suggested that the Government will support and back you for any reward of up to $50,000 for any information that will lead to the arrest and charging of any individual that has committed these crimes.”

Mr Weeks added: “Cabinet is very supportive because we have to look at different ways of addressing this upsurge of violent crime. We can’t keep doing things the same way.”

He said that David Burt, the Premier and Minister of Finance, “never had to offer a blank cheque” to spur movement on the island’s dozens of unsolved murders.

“He has always made it clear that this ministry and particularly the Bermuda Police Service will have the available resources that they need to keep this country safe.”

He called the rewards “the balance and the price we have to pay as a country”.

“It’s really up to a person’s conscience,” he added.

“It’s my job as Minister of National Security to try to do all that I can to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice and play my role in keeping Bermuda safe.

“Unfortunately, if a financial reward has to be part of my overall mission then it’s up to the individuals that may have the information that could lead to an arrest and conviction.”

Although the island has witnessed two double murders on the streets this year, Mr Weeks said: “I don’t want to say that what’s happened recently is new. We’ve had 100-plus murders over the last 20-plus years. Each murder is important; each family that goes through that is the same as at the beginning.”

He added: “We have to do a new approach.”

Mr Weeks said while community assistance to the police was “not necessarily as much as we need”, he felt there was “a community intolerance to this crime — more and more of our community are willing to come forward”.

He referenced the public murder this month of Charlie Kirk, the US political activist, at a speaking event in Utah.

“When police posted an image of the suspect, the suspect’s father saw it and told his son that either you turn yourself in, or I will. That’s the kind of community involvement we need here in Bermuda. Everybody has a role to play in keeping our country safe.”

He said he saw “a change in appetite in the community” when it came to assisting the police.

Mr Weeks added: “You have to recognise where we are. Bermuda is in a very precarious position with all of this violence.

“But we must always remain optimistic that we can turn the corner and get on top of it. I am firmly of the belief that we can get on top of the scourge we are facing right now.”

• Video by Kyle McNeil