Security headquarters established for Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy

On this occasion, Éric Maurel, the public prosecutor at the Basse-Terre Court of Appeal, travelled to attend this meeting organised by Prefect Cyrille Le Vély, accompanied by Deputy Public Prosecutor Marie-Lucie Godard and commanders from the National Gendarmerie and Border Police. It should be noted that last year's figures are rather encouraging compared to those of 2024: a 3% decline in crime, - 10% fewer assaults, -14% fewer property offences, a significant decrease in domestic violence, - 30% fewer armed robberies, - 80% fewer homicides. The Prefect emphasised that 54% of investigations are now successful (the national target is 45%, which is quite good) and concluded that these results are mainly due to the good coordination between the services, congratulating them on their efficiency in the field.

It's better, but we must continue

Éric Maurel also made no secret of his satisfaction with these figures, which he believes are the result of the daily work of all those involved in security and an awareness of their responsibilities in terms of insecurity in the territory, particularly in Saint Martin, even if Saint Barthélemy is not completely excluded, contrary to appearances. Some data may seem alarming, such as the fact that the number of homicides is 8.8 times higher than the national average, almost as high as Guadeloupe, which tops this sad ranking with a rate 9 times higher.
But with the trend on the decline, we can expect the curve to continue to fall in the coming years. The Attorney General is calling for collective responsibility because, in his view, everyone is concerned and everyone has a role to play in the fight against violence: the State and the police, of course, but also local elected officials and families who are responsible for their children's actions before the law.

Methods adapted to the field

The specific characteristics of Saint Martin make it an exception in terms of how state services operate, and it can rightly be considered a kind of laboratory where innovative and unprecedented methods are being successfully tested. The police force is "predictive", meaning that it anticipates malicious acts and identifies victims in advance thanks to an increased presence on the ground. This proactive approach has made Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy two of the safest islands in the Caribbean, which may seem surprising to the local population, but we must not forget that the main economic activity on these two islands remains tourism and that this year, once again, all visitor records have been broken hands down.
The main problem that remains is, of course, the absence of physical borders, but the commanders of the gendarmerie and the police confirm that collaboration with their Dutch counterparts is strengthening over time, consigning to oblivion the famous urban legend that once the border was crossed, criminals were no longer pursued by the police. Working groups exist to combat crime on both sides of the island, giving the territory an international dimension, even if it must be acknowledged that there is a real lack of official agreements in this context. The fight against drug trafficking is, of course, the top priority, and the task ahead in this area remains enormous.