Polack Post: Caribbean Policing – Cayman the Crime Capital?
By Peter Polack
The Cayman Islands police recently disclosed that their budget had increased from almost US$60 Million to US$70 Million in 3 years compared to the budget of their neighbor, Jamaica, of US$300 Million for their entire national security including the army and prisons.
In real terms this would be 20% of the larger country’s budget for approximately 3% of that population or the Cayman Islands is spending 700% more on security with increasing crime.
That would be US$100 per person in Jamaica and in excess of US$700 per person in Cayman.
Jamaica has seen a reduction in crime.
How is that working out for you?
The Cayman Commissioner is beset by inner problems. His anti-crime commander has suggested that criminals act at a certain time or the crime by appointment theory. Two of his senior commanders have openly contradicted each other as to whether lowering the drunk driving limit will reduce drunk driving.
Who will the politicians rely on in that confusion?
To be fair, unlike independent Caribbean islands, the Cayman head of security is burdened by directives from the U.K. to send key personnel to other colonies, pay nearly 10% of his budget for a police helicopter or the black elephant in the room and provide employment to many senior and lesser wandering British law enforcement personnel.
The home team is best.
The Caribbean and Cayman police are doing a fair job in detection and investigating crime.
Prevention is a matter for the politicians and society. They are failing.
The new and inexperienced home affairs minister and Premier of the Cayman Islands have not come out with a strategy or budget on crime and youth after their celebrated first 100 days in power. Regretful.
The good news is that the minister was promoted to third degree in his lodge.
The better news is that Cayman has a clean bill of health from the overseas Financial Action Task Force.
The bad news is that children are playing with matches and the future of the Cayman Islands and Caribbean is going up in smoke.
Notes
https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/02/21/spending-national-security-projects-drops
https://www.caymancompass.com/2025/08/27/business-sector-calls-for-action-to-curtail-robberies
https://www.caymancompass.com/2025/05/21/drink-drive-limit-change-hasnt-reduced-duis-or-crashes
https://braclodge9470.com/rl_gallery/third-degree-ceremony-bro-nickolas-dacosta
Peter Polack is a former criminal lawyer in the Cayman Islands for several decade. His books are The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War: South Africa vs. Cuba in the Angolan Civil War (2013), Jamaica, The Land of Film (2017) and Guerrilla Warfare: Kings of Revolution (2019). He was a contributor to Encyclopedia of Warfare (2013). His latest book is a compendium of Russian espionage activities with almost five hundred Soviet spies expelled from nearly 100 countries worldwide 1940-88.
His views are his own.
