Saint Lucia has recorded a significant drop in homicides for the year, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) disclosed at a press conference on Thursday.
Eighteen homicides have been recorded so far in 2025—down from 31 at this same point last year—according to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Luke De Freitas. This marks a nearly 42% decrease, highlighting what police describe as a renewed and relentless push for public safety.
ACP De Freitas gave an update on law enforcement efforts, offering clarity and cautious optimism.
“Mr. Commissioner, I need to apologize when I stated to you 19 homicides; we actually had 18 homicides. This is the confirmed figure,” he said.
Of those 18 cases, six have already been solved, and investigations into several others are “well advanced,” thanks to what De Freitas described as a “multi-agency approach” rooted in stronger collaboration across the criminal justice system.
“Because of the circumstances, we’ve had to take a multi-agency approach in terms of the investigations. That means we have to be working with the pace of some of our partner agencies in bringing some of these homicides to results,” he explained.
While the decline in homicides has made headlines, it is not the only sign of the Force’s intensifying efforts.
Over the past four months, the Central Division alone has conducted 221 operations, including road checks and targeted interventions in high-risk areas. These operations have resulted in 160 vehicles impounded, including 43 motorcycles—many of which were seized for flagrant violations of the island’s traffic laws.
Traffic enforcement is also at an all-time high, with 5,246 tickets issued so far this year for various breaches of the Road Traffic Act.
De Freitas emphasized that the goal is not just to increase numbers but to change behavior and strengthen accountability.
“We want to continue to let the public know that these operations will continue with sustained intensity,” ACP De Freitas said firmly. “We will not let up.”
These latest gains by the RSLPF come at a crucial time for the island. With Saint Lucia preparing to host a series of major national events and seeing a strong rebound in tourism, the pressure is on to maintain law and order and send a clear message that lawlessness will not be tolerated.
