Last Friday, Prefect Cyrille Le Vély presented the Departmental Action Plan for Restoring Daily Security (PADRSQ) for Saint-Martin, in response to a directive of the Ministry of the InteriorThis initiative is based on 22 key measures, developed in collaboration with the gendarmerie, the border police, the justice system and the community, in order to combat crime and re-establish a climate of security in the territory.
Prefect Cyrille Le Vély insisted on the three major axes : the fight against armed crime, road safety and prevention of domestic violence and sexual. With around thirty drug dealing points identified, law enforcement is stepping up its efforts to stem drug trafficking and settling of accountsThe mobile gendarmerie squadron, “on permanent duty” specifies Commander Hugues Loyez, provides support to carry out control and investigation actions.
Regarding road safety, the behavior of users, particularly two-wheeler drivers, is a cause for concern. In 2024, while the number of deaths on our roads has decreased (2 compared to 5 in 2023), the accident figures remain worrying. The PADRSQ is planning strict measures, such as the operation "No Helmet, No Ride", to combat the non-wearing of helmets, or F, with the temporary impounding of offending vehicles and the immediate destruction of two-wheelers used to commit a crime.
Finally, violence against women and children remains a worrying problem, often under-reported. Six specific measures are planned, including the relaunch of the local victims support committee, the establishment of discreet gendarmerie hotlines to facilitate the filing of complaints, as well as a communication channel dedicated to children, in conjunction with national education and medical services.
A global and scalable approach
Deputy Prosecutor Yann Burnichon stressed the need for a firm judicial response, with exemplary sentences handed down to criminals. Regarding armed robberies (VAMA), while the national average is one VAMA per 1000 inhabitants, the ratio is 102 times higher in our territory. In 2024, there were 120 robberies with firearms in Saint-Martin.
To date, between 60 and 80 Saint-Martin residents have been imprisoned in Basse-Terre prison whose capacity is already exceeded (nearly 200 prisoners). However, repression is not enough: Senator Annick Pétrus recalled that 60% of offenders are young people, and that it is urgent to strengthen support and occupation systems. The establishment of the RSMA in Marigot, in collaboration with the Community, will offer reintegration solutions to young people in difficulty.
The security of tourist areas is also a crucial issue. In Grand-Case, the recent violence have led to sovereign measures, with increased patrols and increased surveillance. The possibility of pedestrianizing certain streets is being discussed with socio-professionals to improve security without penalizing economic activity.
Finally, the PADRSQ emphasizes video protection, considered essential for the prevention and resolution of investigations. Deployment must accelerate, according to Senator Annick Pétrus, who is calling for the system to be generalized across the country with the installation of 40 cameras, associated with an urban supervision center, by June 2025.
A collective commitment for a safer territory
Prefect Cyrille Le Vély states: Restoring security in Saint Martin is a top priority. This plan can only work with the involvement of everyone: law enforcement including the border police represented by the head of the SPAF, David Appelghem, justice, community and citizens. By relying on strengthened cooperation with Sint Maarten and Anguilla and on increased resources, Saint-Martin must regain a peaceful and secure living environment. The PADRSQ is a evolutionary approach, which will adapt to local realities to ensure lasting security for all residents. _Vx
The 22 measures of the Departmental Action Plan for Restoring Daily Safety (PADRSQ) for the territory of Saint-Martin
Fight against armed crime
- In progress – Reinforced surveillance of tourist areas and high-risk locations: establishment of foot and mobile patrols, some of which are unmarked, at points most exposed to armed violence (in front of grocery stores, in areas frequented by tourists, at times of the highest crime rate)
Indicator: Number of hours of presence on public roads
- In progress – Strengthening the staff of the Gendarmerie's research section: this increase in strength allows for an intensification of the investigation and search for perpetrators, in particular for armed robberies.
Indicator: Speed and rate of case resolution
Indicator: Number of arrests of perpetrators involved in armed robberies
- In progress – Discussions with the community and socio-professionals on the pedestrianization of threatened tourist areas: this measure, by reducing the number of two-wheelers, could have an effective effect against armed robberies, as shown by the experiment currently underway in Grand-Case (no more armed robberies have occurred since its implementation). However, pedestrianization must be done in harmony with traffic and parking patterns and without prejudice to the economic activity of the boulevards concerned.
Indicator: Change in the number of acts of violence after pedestrianization
Indicator: Carrying out a study on the implementation of sustainable pedestrianization in the tourist sectors of the island in connection with the
socio-professionals concerned.
- In progress – Work to secure the access boxes to the electrical systems: by the Community: allowing the lights to be turned off in a district, this: insufficiently secured posts facilitate criminal behavior such as armed robbery.
Indicator: Number of secure and inaccessible electrical stations
- Coming soon – Project aimed at deploying video surveillance in Saint-Martin by the Community: support for the community to enable the installation of 40 cameras, associated with an urban supervision center, by June 2025, while the video surveillance system has not been reinstalled since Hurricane Irma.
Indicator: Number of cameras installed by the end of 2025
Indicator: Changes in delinquency after the CSU was put into service
Fight against road violence
- In progress – Multiplication of formats of operations to combat road insecurity: the “No Helmet No Ride” operations and the Faraday operations will be repeated, their programming in specific slots and locations will make it possible to intercept offenders, and to carry out a visible action capable of sending a strong message of the fight against impunity.
Indicator: Balance sheet of these operations
Indicator: Changes in behavior (measured by the decrease in the number of offenses observed over the year)
- In progress – Action against dangerous behaviour on the part of two-wheelers: with the creation of a temporary pound pending the establishment of a permanent pound (main material means of committing offences; used in 95% of armed robberies)
Indicator: Number of scooters seized/destroyed
- Coming soon – Discussion around the project of building a pound with the Community: the construction of a pound will provide an immediate and dissuasive response to the violations observed. It will also help reduce risks by quickly removing non-compliant or dangerous vehicles from circulation.
Indicator: Date the pound was put into service
Indicator: Change in the number of offences resulting in impoundment
Fight against domestic violence and sexual violence
- In progress – Setting up discreet Gendarmerie offices to facilitate the filing of complaints in partnership with various social actors in Saint-Martin.
- In progress – Mobilization of key players in the social world in favor of supporting victims of domestic violence: this
Broad partnership mobilization will allow better detection of cases of violence.
Indicator: Satisfaction rate of victims treated
- Coming soon – Support the revival of the Local Victims’ Support Committee (CLAV) and reaffirm through this coordination body the commitment of State services in the fight against this violence.
Indicator: production of an inventory of existing actions and systems
Indicator: drafting an action plan aimed at considering avenues for improvement
- Coming soon – Launch a campaign to prevent domestic violence and sexual violence targeting young children, and develop suitable educational materials.
Indicator: number of students made aware through the prevention campaign
Indicator: change in the number of reports via national education following the prevention campaign
- Coming soon – Raising awareness among all education, health and after-school professionals (teachers, ATSEMs, nursery staff, school doctors) on the identification of signs of violence and the reporting protocol.
Indicator: number of professionals trained
Indicator: change in the number of reports following the awareness-raising action
- Coming soon – Implementation of a support and prevention system for child prostitution
Indicator: number of minors accompanied
Cross-sectional measures
- In progress – Mobilization of the security continuum to prevent acts of delinquency: intensification of exchanges between partners within the CLSPD in order to prevent delinquency before it occurs, in a collaborative approach and reaching out to the population.
Indicator: Number of actions decided and implemented by the CLSPD
- In progress – Establishment of a unit dedicated to handling vehicle checks within the Gendarmerie, the aim of which will be to seize as many weapons and narcotics transported in vehicles as possible while sanctioning irresponsible road behavior.
Indicator: Increase in the number of violations reported
Indicator: Increase in the number of seizures
- In progress – Mobilization of mobile gendarmes on the island of Saint-Martin: mobile gendarmes represent a significant portion of the total COMGEND workforce in the territory (around 40%). Their action in all areas of delinquency will be optimized.
Indicator: Decrease in the number of delinquency incidents
- In progress – Organization of the foundations of violence among young people: development of a precise and shared diagnosis of the root causes of violence among young people by means of a cross-cutting mobilization approach of the actors of the territory (prefecture, national education, justice, community, socio-professionals, associative actors, etc.). The objective will be to co-construct an action plan specifically dedicated to the prevention of violent behavior among young people, to be implemented from the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Indicator: Publication of an action plan for the Assises by the end of the first quarter
- In progress – Search for premises with the Community to allow the installation of a branch of the Adapted Military Service Scheme in Marigot: the qualifying training offered by the RSMA must help promote the sustainable integration of young people into the job market, while instilling values of rigor, respect and work, essential for young people who are losing their bearings.
Indicator: Identification of suitable premises in the city centre
- Coming soon – Development with partners from the economic and educational world of integration pathways for young people via dedicated programs such as the Mangrove project focusing on the catering and hotel industry.
Indicator: Implementation of new employment integration programs
- Coming soon – State support for the Educational Success Program (PRE): an essential part of the city’s policy, it helps define educational pathways for young people in difficulty each year.
Indicator: Number of young people supported
Indicator: Number of young people achieving good results
- Coming soon – Support for the Community’s project to create 3 territorial police offices, including two in the priority districts of Sandy Ground and Quartier d’Orléans, and one in the tourist sector of Grand-Case.
Indicator: Date of opening of police stations
Indicator: Effect on crime in the neighborhood where the location is located in the months following installation.
Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/societe-un-plan-daction-pour-restaurer-la-securite-du-quotidien/
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