Commissioner of Police, Shanta Knowles held a press event on Monday where she released the 2024 crimes statistics.  The report showed a 10% decrease in major crimes but murder remains an issue with a 9% increase.

Knowles said, “the region decrease across the board at a rate of 10% in New Providence, 10% in Grand Bahama and in the Family Island district 15%.”

She went further stating, “we recorded 105 murders in New Providence for the year in review which represented a 1% decrease over 2023 when 106 murders were recorded.  Three murders were recorded in the Family Islands which is an increase from one incident in 2023 and twelve murders were recorded in Grand Bahama and Northern Bahamas district which is an increase.”

Statistics show that crimes against the person, house breakings, shop breakings  and stealing from vehicles were all down in 2024.  Commissioner Knowles said, “armed robberies decreased by 28% with 265 incidents compared to 368 in 2023.  Most armed robberies occurred at street level at our residence and business respectively.”

When speaking on sexual assaults the Commissioner informed that most victims were familiar with their attackers.  “Rape decreased by 6% with 46 cases compared to 49 cases in 2023.   There was no change in the amount of unlawful sexual intercourse cases when compared to 2023 with 90 reports in total,” Knowles said.

The amount of people who lost their lives in traffic accidents increased by 16%.

The Commissioner also informed reporters that approximately 3,000 pounds of cocaine,  3,006 pounds of marijuana, 421 firearms and 29,012 rounds of ammunition were confiscated by police in 2024.

Shanta Knowles became the first female Commissioner of the Royal Bahamas Police Force at a handing over ceremony in early January 2025.