Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling (centre) with Chief of Police Carl John (left) and Chief Prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks (right).
~ Coordinated action underway ~
GREAT BAY-- Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling delivered a firm message to the population of St. Maarten on Monday evening, addressing growing public concerns over a recent increase in robberies across the island. Speaking in a live feed on Facebook at 5:30pm, she emphasized that the situation is being treated with urgency and coordinated action across the justice system, both locally and in the wider Kingdom.
Tackling was joined by Police Chief Carl John of St. Maarten Police Force KPSM and Chief Prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks of OM SXM.
Tackling began by acknowledging the fears and frustrations felt by residents, while stressing that efforts to curb crime had been in motion well before the current spike in incidents. “I want to speak to you directly and with the full weight of responsibility that this office carries. Our country has seen a surge in robberies in recent days and weeks. I hear concerns, I feel your frustration, and I know the urgency. And I am here to share with you that we as law enforcement are not sitting still, and we have not been sitting still for the past months.”
Kingdom-level support
According to Tackling, several critical requests for reinforcement were initiated long before the end-of-year holiday season, a time when criminal activity historically increases. A major action point has been a formal request for temporary deployment of Dutch Marines to assist with visible policing and operational duties. That request was submitted in October, and negotiations with the Netherlands are ongoing.
“We requested the assistance of the Marines for the high season already back in October,” she said. “But this process has taken time and quite some negotiation with the Netherlands, and we are awaiting this support so that they can further assist KPSM with daily operations.” If approved, the Marines would operate under the direct authority of Police Chief Carl John.
Additional assistance has also been requested from the Vrijwilligers Korps St. Maarten (VKS), which could provide supplementary manpower on the streets. These reinforcements are intended to strengthen KPSM’s visible presence and improve response capacity during peak crime periods.
“These actions have been months in the making, not just today or yesterday,” Tackling said. “After all, safety does not come from ad-hoc or last-minute responses, but from planning and sustained actions.”
Boosting capacity
Beyond visible policing, Tackling stressed the importance of strengthening investigative capabilities, the backbone of solving cases and dismantling criminal networks. In July, she said, a formal request was made for 10 additional detectives from the Kingdom Cooperation Team (RST) and the Dutch National Police.
“We continue to work with our partners towards this, and for our safety and security, as well as that of our Kingdom, this investigative capacity is essential,” she said. Tackling emphasized that the fight against crime cannot rely solely on patrols and checkpoints; solving crime requires trained personnel who can build strong cases, identify offenders, and prevent escalation.
She also confirmed that St. Maarten is not simply waiting on external support. For the past four weeks, the Royal Marechaussee has been assisting KPSM with two investigators, and this cooperation has already produced concrete operational results.
“I know that our community is calling for more blue on the streets,” she said. “This is already a fact, and you will see even more with increased controls all over the island.”
Preventative searches
With police presence expanding, residents will be seeing more roadside checks and searches. Tackling made clear that preventive searches are a necessary tool under current circumstances, and they will remain in effect as long as the situation requires.
“Preventive searches are already in place and will continue to be in place for the foreseeable future,” she explained. “What do I mean when I talk about preventive searches? It means that our police officers have enhanced powers to stop and search you as a matter of public safety and security. This is not an inconvenience, it is a necessary measure, and one that we do not deploy lightly.”
She appealed to the public to remain patient and cooperative, reminding residents that these measures are aimed at removing weapons and deterring violent crime before it happens.
Community must help
While enforcing law and order is crucial, Tackling stressed that policing alone cannot address the root causes that allow crime to take hold. Social neglect, lack of support, and weakened family structures, she said, create the environment in which criminal behaviour begins.
“In spite of all that we are doing and plan to do, the hard truth that we cannot ignore is that crime does not begin with the police,” she told the public. “The police respond to crime. We have to take a hard look at where crime can grow: in our homes, our neighbourhoods, our schools, and the places where we fail to take care of each other.”
She continued with a direct reminder of shared responsibility: “Justice cannot raise our children, whether they are small or they are grown. Justice cannot supervise every street corner or every business establishment. Justice cannot rebuild the social fabric of this country alone. We as a community need to be the strong, steady thread holding that social fabric together.”
Multi-year investment
To make sustainable progress, Tackling argued that the justice system requires long-term structural funding, not temporary fixes. Investment must go into growing the police force, modernizing tools and technology, strengthening investigations, and expanding detention capacity.
“If we have law enforcement doing its part and the community helping along, we must support this with sustained multi-year funding,” she said. “This is the level of investment I will continue to advocate for loudly, firmly, and unapologetically, because our people deserve nothing less.”
Tackling ended her message with a call for unity, vigilance, and cooperation in reporting suspicious activity.
“To our community: we stand with you. Stay vigilant, support your neighbours, and if you see something, say something,” she said. “To St. Maarten: we will get through this with unity, accountability, and long-term structural investment. We will restore stability and peace of mind.”
She encouraged the people of St. Maarten to follow official updates as law-enforcement efforts continue in the coming weeks.
