~22% drop in armed robberies~
PHILIPSBURG--In a Thursday briefing on Facebook, Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling provided an update on the collaborative efforts of law enforcement to tackle gun violence, armed robberies and traffic incidents on the island, emphasising the importance of data in understanding the current situation.
“We live in a time where social media often amplifies situations, creating perceptions that don’t always reflect reality. That is why it is important to focus on the numbers,” Minister Tackling explained. “They show the critical and hard work being done by the police.”
The minister acknowledged that safety is as much a feeling as it is a statistic. “We want to ensure that the data begins to align with how people actually feel on the streets,” she said.
Comparing figures from 2024 with the current year, Tackling noted that the year is not yet complete and numbers are subject to change. She began with armed robberies, which she said are a major source of residents’ concerns.
“Last year, there were 144 recorded armed robberies. Up until December 8 of this year, we have recorded 112. That is a 22 percent decrease compared to last year,” the minister reported.
Turning to arrests, Tackling highlighted a modest increase. “In the first 44 weeks of 2024, a total of 545 arrests were made. In the same period this year, that number increased to 571, an increase of 5 percent,” she said.
The minister also noted progress in controlling firearms. “In addition to that, we had a lot more firearm seizures. There has been an increase of 11 percent compared to last year. We are at 50 versus 45 last year.”
Another key indicator of public safety is homicide rates. “We have seen a huge decrease in homicide cases. Last year there were seven murders; this year we registered four. We really hope that it stays that way,” she said, noting a 43 percent decrease compared to 2024.
Traffic accidents have also decreased, Tackling added. “I think we can all remember the scooter and car accidents we were seeing a lot of last year,” she said, underscoring that progress is being made.
“All of this is to say that there is a lot of hard work being done by our officers, and I wanted to take this moment to let the public know what I know, and also that you can see the work that they are doing and give them a little more credit and a little more grace,” she said.
Looking ahead, the minister announced that law enforcement expects further arrests in the coming days. “All of these individuals who think they can continue to take this country for granted, to rob us and steal from us, we will continue to find them, we will continue to go into their homes, and we will arrest them,” Tackling said. She added that the government will ensure space to detain these individuals, either locally or in other prisons within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The briefing highlighted the government’s commitment to using factual data to guide public understanding and to support law enforcement in their ongoing efforts to enhance safety across the island.
