By SIMON LEWIS

Bahamas Information Services

The Royal Bahamas Police Force of Grand Bahama has heightened their anti-terrorist initiatives at the Lucayan Harbour and other Grand Bahama based marinas.

The Police Department now has a team of divers whose responsibilities include, ensuring the safety of marine facilities. This was evident as Police divers did a safety check at Lucayan Harbour on Wednesday prior to the arrival of the U.S. Navy vessel Curts, whose 225 ship personnel are in town for shore leave.

Superintendent of Police Basil Rahming, who was on hand to watch the police divers carry out an underwater search at the Lucayan Harbour said: "We are so proud, of the members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force with what has transpired here at the Lucayan Harbour this morning.

"A United States Frigate Class Naval vessel, the USS Curts, is visiting our island for the next three days and from our Police operations, and using this new capability that we recently acquired, was able to put a four man dive team into the water to properly scan, search for underwater explosive devices or anything that could endanger the security of this vessel, and secure this berthing," he explained.

According to Rahming this new capability is something that is unique to the Caribbean and is not found in many other Caribbean countries.

He explained that what normally happens is that the U.S. Navy, in advance of their ships docking at ports, would send in their own dive teams to secure their berthing and docking facilities.

"We now have this as part of our multi-dimensional operative assets and this morning, four officers, who recently completed a three week anti-terrorism and anti-explosive device dive training course in New Providence, were able to actually put in practice what they have learnt, and we are so pleased with them this morning," he said.

According to Rahming, this new capability shows that the Royal Bahamas Police Force is on the cutting edge of the latest practice and operational guidelines as it pertains to security.

Stating that security is a global concern now, Rahming noted that there is a terrorism threat and the possibility of it is worldwide.

"Whilst the threat may not be as active here in The Bahamas, we may be what you consider to be a soft target, we still have to be prepared in the unfortunate eventuality that some grouping somewhere decides to make The Bahamas a target for this type of negative activity," he said.

Rahming also advised that the Police in Grand Bahama is now equipped with an Avenger type go-fast boat with three 225 horsepower engines.

"The vessel is purpose built for interdicting and that can be narcotics interdictions, smuggling, any illegal enterprises being conducted in a marine environment. This vessel has the capability of responding positively to that threat," he said.

Heading the Police dive team is Sergeant Doyle Burrows who explained that his team had recently participated in an extensive anti-terrorism course in New Providence, and noted that as a pre-requisite, all persons attending the course had to become certified divers.

"It was a three weeks programme a very, very rigid programme with multiple dives, multiple dive exercises where we learned search patterns and techniques, and the various aspects of handling this type of operations," he said.

Aside from Sergeant Burrows, other police officers completing the course included: Constable Boyd, who is attached to the Abaco Division; Corporal Mackey, Corporal Pratt, Constable Knowles and Constable Gittens, who are all assigned to Grand Bahama.

Also in Grand Bahama witnessing the efforts by the local Police Department was Barbara O'Connell, a special agent with the Navy Criminal Investigative Service, who was here to support the U.S. Navy ship visit to Freeport.

She explained that the crew is on a liberty port call, having completed some work in the Florida area and that the crew was eager to take part in the famous Bahamian hospitality.

O'Connell said the fact that the Grand Bahama Police Department now has this new capability, "gives the ship such a very good feeling coming in to know that a security sweep of the pier has been done; it is a compliment to your country and to the individuals who have worked so hard with this training, and I was just so very, very impressed by the demonstration this morning."

UNDERWATER SEARCH – Basil Rahming, Superintendent of Police watches as police divers carry out an underwater search at the Lucayan Harbour as part of their anti-terrorist initiatives at that location and other Grand Bahama based marinas.