RSLPF warns public against sharing police checkpoint locations on WhatsApp
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force is warning WhatsApp users not to share police roadblock locations, saying such alerts could help armed suspects evade capture.
RSLPF cautions social media users over police checkpoint alerts
Sharing a police roadblock location on WhatsApp may seem like a harmless favour to a friend, but the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force says such messages can help individuals carrying illegal firearms or contraband slip through enforcement operations undetected.
According to St Lucia Times, the warning was delivered by Assistant Superintendent Terry Bradley, newly appointed Commander of the Special Services Unit (SSU), at a police press conference on Thursday.
Bradley acknowledged that most people who forward "roadblock" alerts are not acting with criminal intent. In many cases, he said, the sender simply wants to spare a friend a traffic fine. The consequences, however, can extend far beyond a missed ticket.
"So what may appear to be a harmless message by just saying the police are at a location can be a potential interference with a lawful police activity," Bradley said.
He outlined the chain of risk: a person transporting an illegal firearm who receives such an alert could change their route, abandon their vehicle, or dispose of the weapon before any officer makes contact. That weapon, Bradley warned, could later surface at a crime scene.
The force stressed that once an alert enters a group chat, there is no controlling who reads it or how they act on it. Bradley appealed to the public to stop sharing the locations of officers conducting traffic checks and other active operations.
The roadblock warning formed part of a broader statement as Bradley formally takes command of the SSU. He used the press conference to signal the unit's priorities, making clear that individuals wanted by police will be actively pursued regardless of where they are.
"We will not surrender our country to you. We will not surrender our communities to you," he told those engaged in criminal activity.
"If you commit a crime, you should expect the police to investigate that crime. If you are wanted, we will look for you. If you are found, you will be dealt with through the law and the justice system."
Bradley's remarks place the SSU's renewed focus squarely on proactive enforcement, with the unit positioning itself as a front-line force against serious crime across the island.
Source: St Lucia Times