By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter

jasmin@nasguard.com

Two days after officers were ordered back into Urban Renewal offices across the country, there are still no cops stationed at a headquarters in Nassau Village, where the nation's 42nd murder was recorded just last week.

On Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Marvin Dames announced that officers will be placed back in Urban Renewal facilities across New Providence and Grand Bahama. His announcement came almost two weeks after officers were removed from the Urban Renewal program.

But when The Guardian visited the Nassau Village Urban Renewal office yesterday afternoon, one receptionist, Jay Brown, was left to man the community's station, claiming that officers were removed from the office since June 29th.

"The officers were supposed to have been back from Monday," she explained. "Before the officers were taken away we had an Inspector here, three Sergeants, a Corporal and a Police Corporal."

The receptionist added that she believed the presence of police in the area was a deterrent for crime.

"I would think there has been a negative effect since the officers were taken out," said Brown. "See you have to look at the area that you live in, and around here, the presence of the police helps prevent [criminal] things from happening. When the officers are here they are able to meet with people one-on-one and hear what is really happening and take it from there."

In recent days the lack of police officers at Urban Renewal offices in the country has caused many to criticize the government. But the criticisms were heightened after thirty-year-old David Rolle became the country's 42nd murder victim last Thursday night when he was shot in the yard of the Nassau Village Urban Renewal office. Many in the community believed his death could have been prevented if the office was open and police were stationed at the building.

But Brown explained that since officers were taken away from the program, Urban Renewal has had to open at 9a.m. and close by 5p.m.

"The officers are not in the area yet but the office has never been closed although we can't be open until 2 a.m. like we used to," she said. "There were recently persons who came in here for help but they say they feel more comfortable with the police being here. But I just want people to know that our doors never were closed."

Meanwhile, officers have been returned to the Kemp Road Urban Renewal Program. Officer Alexander Brooks, who has been attached to the Kemp Road Urban Renewal office since March 2004, said he is pleased to be re-stationed in the area. He added that during his years at Urban Renewal he has seen many improvements in the inner-city community.

"There was a temporary interruption with regards to the policing aspect of Urban Renewal but Urban Renewal itself has always been carried on in Kemp Road," Officer Brooks said.

"The community has improved greatly because we are helping citizens become more alert as in their own responsibilities," he continued. "Now the policing aspect of Urban renewal is to pursue all criminal aspects that happens within that boundary of the urban renewal office."

Kolamae Pedican, a case aid of the Department of Social Services who is also attached to the Kemp Road Urban Renewal Project, said the absence of officers has not slowed the work of Urban Renewal in Kemp Road.

"When the police wasn't here it wasn't difficult because we maintained our relationship with the police," Pedican said. "Even though the police's physical presence was not in the office we maintained contact with them at the Wulff Road Police station and through 919. Every incident where we asked for police assistance we had an immediate response so we felt quite safe. But we are glad that they are back."

The Urban Renewal official also maintained that despite the confusion in recent weeks, her office is ready to serve the community.

"I want to assure the Kemp Road community that we are here and we are here to serve," she said. "If they need house repairs, food assistance, uniform assistance and assistance with children or if they are just having stress we are there to help them."

The brainchild of Prime Minister Perry Christie, the Urban Renewal Community Policing Project is one of the most ambitious crime reduction programs in the RBPF's recent history. It was launched in June 2002 in Farm Road.