SECURITY IS THE PRECONDITION FOR DEVELOPMENT - Commissioner Fitz Bailey

Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey says the Turks and Caicos Islands has moved from crisis towards recovery, citing a major reduction in murders and major crimes under his command.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday October 15 at the Police Headquarters, Commissioner Bailey said his mission since assuming command has been guided by one principle:

“Security is not a by-product of development. It is the precondition for it. A nation cannot attract investment, grow its economy, educate its children or welcome the world while its streets belong to gunmen.”

The Commissioner outlined the security situation he met when he joined the Force.

A Country Under Siege

Bailey said he joined the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force as Deputy Commissioner on October 7, 2024, at a time when criminal activity was undermining economic progress and business confidence.

“Gangs and gunmen roamed these Islands with high-powered weapons, robbing and killing with impunity,” he said.

Six weeks later, on November 21, after Commissioner Edwin Martin resigned, he was asked to lead the Force.

By the end of 2024, the Turks and Caicos had recorded 48 murders, making it the most murderous country per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. Bailey said communities lived in fear and parts of the Islands had become no-go zones.

Crime Reduction Results

The Commissioner said the Force responded with planning, strategy and discipline, and pointed to what he called results that are a matter of record:

-In 2025, murders fell from 48 to 27, a reduction of 43.8%
-So far this year, 3 murders recorded, an 88% reduction on the same period last year
-Major crimes overall down by 42%

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is no small feat, these are not mere statistics. Behind every number is a life preserved, a family spared grief,” he said.

He cited Sir Robert Peel, the father of modern policing, that the test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder.”The children of the Turks and Caicos Islands deserve to grow, to play and to learn in safety. Every citizen deserves to move across these Islands without fear. Every visitor deserves to enjoy our shores without intimidation. That is the standard. NOTHING LESS,” Bailey said.

He saluted frontline officers who put their lives at risk daily.

The Cost of Crime

Commissioner Bailey warned that crime not only threatens lives but diverts resources from development. He noted that across Latin America and the Caribbean, the economic cost of crime and violence has been estimated at more than US$261 billion.

For a small island economy that depends on its reputation as a safe destination, he said unchecked violence is an imminent threat.

“Every dollar lost to crime is a dollar that could have been invested in building a safer, stronger, and more prosperous future,” he said.

Transformation on Three Pillars

The Commissioner said reducing crime is only half the mission and that lasting reductions require lasting institutions. He said the Force is being transformed on three pillars: leadership, capability and integrity.

On leadership: Strengthening command with key appointments including an Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for training and recruitment; a Chief Operating Officer overseeing procurement and financial management; and a Deputy Commissioner of Police with responsibility for discipline and standards.

On capability: Officers undergoing management, investigative, tactical and marine training as part of succession planning to develop the next generation of leaders.

On integrity: Bailey revealed that shortly after assuming command, he was briefed on an audit of the Force’s financial operations over a period of time.

“Elements of that audit are now the subject of a criminal investigation, and two investigators have been engaged to pursue it. One person has been placed on administrative leave, and several lines of enquiry are being pursued,” he said.

“No one is above the law, including those who wear the uniform,” he added.

Staying Focused

Commissioner Bailey said the threat has evolved, with transnational organized crime becoming sophisticated, well-financed and adaptive. He warned that when criminals cannot defeat police on the streets, they will try other means including spreading misinformation and disinformation and creating disunity.

“WE WILL NOT TAKE THE BAIT! WE WILL REMAIN FOCUSED, united and resolute,” he said.

Quoting Romans 12:2 on transformation through renewing of the mind, he said transformation is not about proving yesterday was wrong, but about making tomorrow better.

“My instruction to them has never changed! OPERATE within the framework of the law. Our authority rests on legitimacy, and our legitimacy rests on the rule of law,” he said.

He closed with a commitment to not relent:”In under two years, we have moved these Islands from crisis towards recovery. But recovery is not victory, and our work is not done. WE WILL NOT RELENT. WE WILL NOT RETREAT. AND WE WILL NOT ALLOW THESE ISLANDS TO BE TAKEN BACK.”