Crime in Dominica

Official OAS and United Nations crime records for 2024 list 12 intentional homicides, 703 serious assaults, 67 sexual-violence offences, 37 robberies, 273 burglaries, 886 thefts, 43 motor-vehicle thefts, 33 fraud offences, 40 drug offences and 30 weapon-trafficking offences in Dominica. The same records list five kidnappings. The homicide records identify interpersonal circumstances in all 12 cases, including seven involving firearms and two involving sharp objects; two victims were killed by family members. All 12 recorded homicide victims were Dominica nationals. These figures are reported incidents, not a victimization survey, and a recorded zero does not prove that an offence did not occur or that its prevalence is zero. The CDPF is the national police service. Police stations handle surveillance, investigations, law enforcement and crime prevention. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Drug Unit, Marine Unit, Special Branch, Special Service Unit, National Joint Intelligence Coordination and Scenes of Crime support specific functions. An immediate emergency can be reported through 999. The CDPF also publishes +1 767 266 5100; the Office of Disaster Management publishes +1 767 448 2222 as an additional emergency contact. Police Headquarters is on Bath Road in Roseau. The CDPF lists +1 767 266 5119 for CID investigations, +1 767 266 5165 for the Crime Records Office and +1 767 266 5153 for general complaints and the Charge Office. Report a crime as soon as possible and preserve relevant messages, photographs, documents or other evidence. No public fee, processing deadline or guaranteed response time is established in the available information. The main everyday risks include theft from vehicles, burglary, pickpocketing, purse-snatching and robbery. Secure accommodation, gates, fences, vehicles and valuable belongings. Keep cash low, avoid displaying valuables, lock vehicles and avoid stopping for hitchhikers. Use licensed taxis, choose illuminated and busy routes after dark, and take extra care at isolated beaches, off-main roads, large gatherings, street or beach parties and during festival season. Do not leave drinks unattended. Arrange public meeting places and a contact plan for dating-app meetings. Businesses can reduce theft risk by limiting cash, using cheques or direct credit where suitable, keeping the cash point away from the entrance, securing tills and moving excess cash discreetly. For suspected online fraud or unlawful access, update software, use strong individual passwords, avoid suspicious calls, unknown links and downloads, lock devices, protect mobile data and use anti-malware. No dedicated online cybercrime reporting channel is established in the available information; contact the CDPF by telephone, email at cdpf@dominica.gov.dm or its contact form. The 2024 record lists zero cyber-related fraud cases, while the latest listed figure for unlawful computer access is zero in 2017. Those entries cannot establish the absence of digital crime. The Domestic Violence Act 2023 provides routes for protection after domestic violence. Police can assist at the scene, help protect an injured person or child and prevent further offending. They can arrest without a warrant where reasonable suspicion exists. A victim, child or dependant, or in specified circumstances the Police, Director or assigned officer, can seek an interim or final Protection Order through the District Court. Applications can also be made outside ordinary court hours or on a day when the court is not sitting. A breach of a protection order can support a concurrent criminal complaint. The Police should explain relevant rights and provide a printed copy of the information at the report or scene. Support may involve the Social Welfare Division at +1 767 266 3080, a counsellor at +1 767 266 4086, the Child Abuse Prevention Unit at +1 767 266 3020, the Bureau of Gender Affairs at +1 767 618 3454, the Women's Bureau Director at +1 767 266 3023, or the Legal Aid Clinic at +1 767 266 3331. Medical emergency care is available through Dominica China Friendship Hospital Accident and Emergency at +1 767 266 2105 or the main hospital number +1 767 266 2000. The reviewed local material does not establish a single nationwide victim hotline, a shelter system or a victim-compensation scheme, and it does not publish uniform costs or processing times. For children, the Domestic Violence Act 2023 treats a child as someone under 18. The Children (Care and Adoption) Act 2023 provides care and protection against abuse and neglect, while the Child Justice Act 2023 is in transition. Police detention of a child should be a last resort, last only as long as required and keep the child separate from adults, with parents or the relevant Director notified. In 2024, formal juvenile contact records listed 16 children, five of whom were prosecuted and none convicted. The Child Abuse Prevention Unit is the identified local access point for child-protection concerns. Firearms, ammunition and drug offences can carry severe consequences; do not bring firearms or ammunition into Dominica without prior approval.