Burnette Says Crime Statistics Understate Antigua’s Crime Problem

Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Nuffield Burnette says official crime statistics do not accurately reflect the level of criminal activity in Antigua and Barbuda, arguing that many offences go unreported while others are allegedly suppressed.

Speaking during a United Progressive Party town hall meeting on the government’s proposed third-country deportee arrangement, Burnette said he deliberately chose not to rely on official crime figures because he believes they fail to capture the true extent of crime in the country.

“I deliberately did not come here tonight with any stats,” Burnette said. “The stats are not accurate.”

Burnette, who spent decades in law enforcement before retiring as assistant commissioner of police, said many victims never report crimes to the authorities, making official figures an incomplete measure of public safety.

“Persons do not report everything,” he said, attributing some of the underreporting to public dissatisfaction with how police handle criminal complaints.

He argued that the annual crime statistics released by law enforcement should not be viewed as an accurate reflection of conditions on the ground.

“What we see as stats, or what is presented to us whether at the end of the year or the beginning of the year by law enforcement… those are not accurate,” Burnette said.

Burnette went further, alleging that some reports have been deliberately minimized.

“I can even speak to situations where I know for a fact that persons try to suppress certain reports so as to make it look as though it’s not that serious,” he said.

He claimed such actions were intended “to appease persons” and “make government of the day look good.”

The former senior police officer said residents are already aware of the true level of crime because they are the ones who decide whether incidents are reported.

“You cannot fool the public as it relates to the stats where crime is concerned in this country because they are the ones who report the matters,” Burnette said.

Burnette made the remarks while arguing that Antigua and Barbuda should carefully consider its ability to handle additional public safety challenges before accepting third-country deportees from the United States, saying policymakers must first acknowledge the country’s existing crime realities.

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