Lawmakers serving on a Senate committee addressing public safety and justice voted Thursday to compel the head of the Virgin Islands Police Department to appear at their next scheduled meeting. The vote to issue a subpoena to Police Commissioner Ray Martinez came after St. John residents came to present their public safety concerns.
The discussion was part of a day-long hearing where three bills were approved and moved on to the Rules and Judiciary Committee for further consideration. Testifiers pointed to communication problems, delayed responses, a lack of feedback, and what some said discourages people from calling police in the first place.
Fresh on the minds of those who appeared was a recent armed robbery. “Some days ago one of my drivers, with a passenger, was robbed at gunpoint,” said businessman James Penn.
Penn operates a fleet of safari taxis that transport tourists to and from the St. John Westin Resort and conduct island tours. Former Senator-At-Large Carmen Wesselhoft-Hendrington also testified on Thursday. She told the committee that she drives a taxi part-time, and since the latest incident, she hesitates to accept some transport requests.
“Wesselhoff-Hedrington, who works as a taxi driver, stated that she was recently uncomfortable transporting a passenger to Cinnamon Bay because she felt uneasy,” said Legislature spokesman Jamal Potter.
The robbery was the latest in a string of violent crimes affecting commerce on St. John. In October 2022, robbers stole the automatic cash machine at the Cinnamon Bay Campground. Two jewelry stores were invaded by armed robbers; one business owner was shot and wounded in a daylight robbery on May 18. A nearby officer on foot patrol responded to the scene, but by then, the robbers had fled.
Worried residents and merchants gathered for a town meeting about crime and the response by law enforcement. At that time, many said police seemed unresponsive. Some who came to the meeting offered suggestions to aid police by increasing security in the commercial district.
A police representative did appear at the May 23 meeting held in the Cleone Creque Legislative Conference Room. But after Thursday’s no-show at the committee hearing, Martinez spoke briefly to a reporter, saying he and his executive team were attending a conference that day. He sent a notice to the committee saying so, something that was confirmed by Committee Chairman Kenneth Gittens during the session.
But the chairman said more could be done to reassure citizens and inform lawmakers. “We did receive correspondence from the commissioner — the executive team’s unavailability today. I not only speak for me but I’m sure I speak for my colleagues, and you’ll hear from them about our disappointment of (police officials) not being able to be here,” Gittens said.
The commissioner also addressed the public expressions of concern. “We have an uptick in crime on St. John. We know about it, and we’re working on it,” Martinez said.
That statement was confirmed to the Source on Friday by one of the merchants whose store was targeted in February. Police responded to the scene and had since returned to do a follow-up, they said.
Testifiers said they were also disappointed that no police officials attended Thursday’s meeting. Wesselhoff-Hedrington pointed to a police shortage on the island. When a crime occurs, investigators must be sent from St. Thomas to help the one detective assigned to St. John.
The former senator-at-large said there must be a plan to help St. John, or else the island’s tourism product would suffer. In her testimony, business owner Myrtle Barry described her efforts to help a rape victim who was having trouble getting help or advice from authorities.
Others, like Coral Bay Community Council Volunteer President Sharon Coldren, said she was concerned about the present circumstances but wanted to help the search for solutions. “I’m here today to help with some ways we can collectively improve our systems and processes that protect people from injury and crime and make a safer community for the future,” she said.
Coldren along with two representatives from the all-volunteer St. John Rescue, told lawmakers they also wanted to see an improved emergency reporting system on island. Rescue Board Secretary Vicki Schoedel and Executive Director Valerie Hewitt said other agencies besides police can help in areas where cell phone dead zones made calling the 911 emergency line difficult.
Senate Minority Leader Dwayne DeGraff — a member of the committee — said he’d like to see changes in the system that would make it easier for St. John crime victims to get help when needed.
But DeGraff said he, too, was at a loss over the lack of representation at the meeting. “Absent — the police are absent. I am totally frustrated,” he said.
Sen. Alma Francis-Heyliger urged residents to stage a public protest.
Committee member Franklin Johnson made the motion for a subpoena. “This is about the fourth time Ray Martinez has been invited (sic) to testify. He ain’t show up once. You are short-staffed, I accept that, but we have to do something better,” Johnson said.
Gittens said the vote to issue a subpoena would be sent to Senate President Novelle Francis for further action.
