Cops building trust, one community at a time

By Natanga Smith

natangasmith@nationnews.com

It was a quiet Friday morning when we set out from the Criminal Investigation Department on Pinfold Street, the sun filtering through scattered clouds, a soft breeze carrying the hum of The City.

I was in the front seat, along with Station Sergeant Jamal Mohan. In the back seat was my colleague Antoinette Connell, Inspector Roger Babb, head of the Community Relations Department (CRD) and newly appointed communications consultant Stetson Babb.

We were on a community policing drive-through, moving through neighbourhoods that have known both hardship and hope – Chapman Lane, New Orleans, Pickwick Gap, Westbury Road, Rihanna Drive – places once synonymous with tension, which are now transformed.

The Community Relations Department, though small – just three core members – carries a big mandate. Their approach is guided by a model called SARA: Scanning, Analysing, Response and Assessment.

“We look at the problem, analyse it, respond appropriately and then assess whether our actions solved it,” Babb explained.

“It’s not just about enforcement. It’s about understanding, engaging and educating.”

The CRD works across parishes and divisions, fostering relationships between the police and the public. From radio education programmes to crime prevention workshops, their work is grounded in connection.

What stood out at the start of the drive was the cleanliness of the streets and the quietness. A few residents moved about their day – greeting familiar faces, tending shopfronts. There were alot of narrow alleyways that twisted like stories told through generations.

Occasionally, we found ourselves at a dead end, a literal reminder of the labyrinthine paths community policing often must navigate.

But the quiet was telling in these once hotspots.

Babb praised the work of Mohan, noting the lasting impact of his years serving as a community officer in Chapman Lane and surrounding districts. According to Babb, Mohan’s steady presence and deep engagement with residents helped transform the atmosphere in those once-troubled areas. Inspector Babb leaned forward and said with quiet pride: “From all indications, things have quieted down considerably. That speaks to the kind of relationships he built. When people feel comfortable engaging with the police, tensions ease. It’s always better to foster a friendly, trusting relationship than a hostile one. When there’s hostility, people shut down – but when there’s trust, they open up, they share information, and they work with you.”

He explained that the information shared was not always about crime; often, residents highlight social issues or community needs that the police can help channel to the right agencies – whether Government or private sector – to get resolved.

“What we’ve seen in Chapman Lane and New Orleans is encouraging,” Inspector Babb added.

“Those communities have been quiet for some time now and I believe that’s largely due to the hard work of Sergeant Mohan and his team. We want to see that replicated across the island – in all districts, especially those facing challenges. But achieving that means more than just patrols; it requires meaningful programmes, real engagement and consistent presence within each community.”

Our route wound through Pickwick Gap, behind Kensington Oval, where empty blocks echoed the lull

Continued on next page.

Last week, the

Sunday Sun was invited by the Community Relations Department arm of the Barbados Police Service on a ride-along through some parts of The City to see firsthand how community policing is used in crime prevention.

Police officers have seen a shift in the atmosphere of Chapman Lane with the once

hotspot now quieter. (Pictures by Reco Moore.)

The final cohort of the year for the King’s Trust International Team Programme was deep

in orientation at the Grazettes Community Centre. (NS)

From Page 14A.

of mid-morning. As we turned toward Deacons Resource Centre, we were greeted with no signs of human life – the basketball court was empty. There was, however, a promise that later that evening it would be filled with sneakers squeaking, laughter and voices calling across the asphalt. There, we met Acting Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, the Communications and Public Affairs Officer.

Mohan knows these streets well. His years working in Chapman Lane and New Orleans have earned him not just respect, but belonging.

“At first, it takes time to build trust,” he admitted.

“Some residents have faced rejection. Some can’t even use their own address on a job application because of the stigma. But once they see you care – that you’re here for them – they open up. They start seeing the police as part of their family.”

He recalled the early days – walking the lanes, sitting with elders, chatting with “the guys on the block”, listening more than talking.

Breaking barriers

Slowly, barriers broke down.

“I never had a problem in those communities. I worked there since 2007. The people are good people. They just need to be seen, heard and included.”

That inclusion came through programmes designed by the community, for the community: homework sessions or children struggling in school, run by police officers who tutored in maths and English. Kite-flying competitions that turned complaints into education and creativity. Street football and road tennis, where teams mixed youth with older mentors. Burglary prevention workshops and business alert programmes that connected residents and shopkeepers.

“We don’t push programmes onto people,” he said.

“We listen first. We ask what they need. That’s how you get buy-in.”

With support from corporate Barbados and approval from the senior command team, these initiatives became lifelines – small interventions with big impact.

“Even something as simple as helping someone fill out a job form or to get them into skills training – that builds confidence,” he said.

“When people feel valued, they start valuing their community again.”

Beyond youth, the CRD focuses on the elderly and families – from picnics and home visits to parenting symposiums and trauma support sessions.

“Each community will be affected by something different. Sport brings the communities together. We used to do some little fun things for the elderly persons but usually we would speak to the public clinics responsible for the districts and get assistance with nurses coming in. Some of the churches within the area also held programmes on Fridays; they will have a service and stuff like that and you will get persons taking lunches for those shut-ins, those persons that cannot make it out.

Struggling parents

“Some parents are struggling too; they’ve faced their own trauma,” Mohan explained.

“We partner with agencies to get them help because if the home heals, the community heals.”

The community policing model isn’t just about law and order; it’s about care, knowing who lives where, who needs help, who’s alone.

“You’d be amazed what you learn when you sit with someone on their verandah,” the Station Sergeant said with a smile.

“You learn the history of the street, the nicknames of residents, the roots. That’s what builds real connection.”

We then headed to Grazettes Community Centre. Inside, the final cohort of the year for the King’s Trust International Team Programme was deep in orientation – a mix of icebreakers, Xs and Os and laughter. Young faces, hopeful and engaged, a sign of the next generation being guided, not lost.

“This is part of it too,” he said, as we looked on.

“Meeting people where they are, helping them build skills, confidence and community.”

As the sun rose high into the sky, we then returned to where it all started – the Criminal Investigation Department on Pinfold Street.

From the alleys and lanes of Pickwick Gap, New Orleans and Chapman Lanes, one thing was clear: community policing isn’t just a duty – it’s a dialogue – a promise.

A brief stop at Deacons Resource Centre where the basketball court was empty.

(From left)

Acting Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, Communications and Public Affairs Officer, met with Station Sergeant

Jamal Mohan and Inspector Roger Babb. (AC)

Station Sergeant Jamal Mohan said working in areas of New Orleans earned him not just respect, but belonging. “At first, it takes time to build trust, but once they see you care – that you’re here for them – they open up. They start seeing the police as part of their family.”