By Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Tuesday 21st April 2026)u2014When asked recently by a local reporter whether any of the last three homicides could be related, Police Commissioner James Sutton said u201cit is too early to make that assessment.u201d
He provided that response while speaking at a police press conference held on Monday 20th April 2026.
Responding to questions about the latest shooting deaths and also whether crime-fighting strategies have been adjusted, COP Sutton stressed that investigations remain at an early stage.
u201cWhat I can say to you at this point is it is too early to make that assessment with regard to the homicides. We are still in the infancy of the investigation, so it would not be a wise decision to make that assumption at this time,u201d he stated.
He also indicated that while strategies are continuously being reviewed and refined, details cannot be publicly disclosed.
u201cAs I said in my opening statement, we are adaptive and we are making changes as we move along, but we will not say what the changes are. We make assessments, we do a postmortem of what we have done, what are the successes, where we would have failed, and where we need to improve,u201d Sutton explained.
He added that investigations are being approached comprehensively while maintaining necessary confidentiality.
u201cSo the nature of investigation is a holistic approach that we have applied, and we have to keep a lot of it to ourselves as well, but we want to keep the public apprised of what we are doing. I understand your question, but we have to strike the balance,u201d he said.
Also addressing the issue was Acting Commander of the Defence Force Kayode Sutton, who reinforced the need for flexibility in crime-fighting strategies, noting the evolving nature of criminal activity.
u201cIf I may add to the commissioneru2019s response. We know that crime is fluid. It changes. The dynamics of crime change,u201d he said. He emphasized that strategies must continuously adapt to current realities.
u201cThe strategies that we have are flexible, adaptive and applicable to the situations that we have at hand, and we continue to monitor these strategies, evaluate them, and make changes along the way because what applied last year might not apply today, as there may be new players in the field and the dynamics of crime change every day,u201d he added.
Commander Sutton further assured the public that law enforcement agencies remain committed to maintaining safety and security, while calling for greater collaboration from citizens. u201cBut like the Commissioner said, we cannot outline everything here. The assurance to the public is that you have competent people who have the responsibility to ensure the safety and security in St. Kitts and Nevis, and we are doing the best that we can but we want to work collaboratively with the public to ensure that we are able to do an effective and efficient job. So we need the input of the public.u201d
He stressed that even the smallest piece of information could prove critical.
u201cIt doesnu2019t matter how little the information is. Just find someone and give that information because you donu2019t knowu2014it might be a part of the bigger picture, and the experts are there to put those pieces together. Then it will make sense, and we will be successful, and we will have a safe society that everybody can enjoy,u201d he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police Andre Mitchell addressed concerns about the safety of individuals who come forward with information. Responding to a question on how authorities are working to quell fears among potential informants, Mitchell acknowledged and thanked members of the public who have already assisted.
u201cTo answer your question, I want to thank members of the public who have come forward so far and assisted in these investigations,u201d he said.
He explained that the police have established systems to ensure confidentiality and protection.
u201cWe have a program where we have cultivated informants, and we have impressed upon them that their information will be treated with the strictest confidence. We do receive information from time to time, and this information has been upgraded into evidence,u201d Mitchell stated.
He pointed to recent successes in crime detection and prosecution as evidence of the effectiveness of public cooperation.
u201cOver the past months and the past year and a half, quite a number of persons have been arrested and charged, some already convicted, and it is because of the treatment of the information we have received from members of the public,u201d he said.
The ACP further highlighted the availability of anonymous reporting channels and witness protection measures.
u201cWe have the hotline number 707, and when information is converted into evidence, we have a witness protection program which we have managed successfully thus far,u201d he explained.
He noted that these efforts have contributed to improved conviction rates.
u201cThose persons have testified, and the results are thereu2014an increased percentage of convictions from charging to conviction,u201d Mitchell added.
He urged members of the public to play an active role in crime-fighting efforts.
u201cWe treat that information with confidence, and it has been very useful to us in the past and in the investigation of these matters. We are making steady progress because of that information, so we continue to solicit your attention and your help in providing information,u201d he said.