Crime in St Vincent and Grenadines

The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, abbreviated RSVGPF, is the central police authority for crime prevention, emergency response and investigations. Its Criminal Investigations Department, or CID, investigates reported offences, while the Crime Prevention Unit supports community policing, neighbourhood watch, school lectures, town halls, community walkthroughs, Crime Prevention Week activities and CCTV-related prevention. The National Commission on Crime Prevention also addresses crime prevention, including cybercrime awareness and community cooperation. Police data show different patterns depending on the dataset and counting method. The RSVGPF Crime Analysis Unit recorded 501 violent crimes and 2,057 property crimes in 2023, for a series total of 2,558. The same series recorded 47 robberies, including 35 involving firearms, 524 burglaries, 1,041 thefts and 445 cases of property damage. The CID recorded 1,212 reports in 2025 compared with 1,263 in 2024, with fewer reports in areas such as deception, cybercrime, burglary and theft but increases in wounding and actual bodily harm. These figures are not directly interchangeable because the datasets count different units, and they do not establish a reliable national crime rate for 2026. Common practical risks include petty theft, purse-snatching, burglary and theft from vehicles. Yachts at docks or anchorages can be targeted for outboard engines, tools and equipment. Isolated roads and beaches are less suitable after dark, and caution is sensible at ATMs after dark, during large gatherings, at street or beach parties and during the July Vincy Mas festival season, when opportunistic theft may increase. Use licensed taxis and avoid inter-island travel at night where possible. Crime is not limited to property offences: murder, armed robbery, assault, sexual assault, shootings and drug- or gang-related crime occur, and illegal firearms, gun violence, gangs and homicide are current police priorities. For an immediate danger, call 999 or 911. The Police Control number is 784-457-1211, the Criminal Investigations Department can be reached at 784-456-1810, and reports can be made at any police station. The Crime Hotline is 784-458-1234 extension 311. The Public Relations and Complaints Department can be reached at 784-485-6697 or 784-485-6891. No officially documented general online crime-reporting portal was identified in the available research. Secure the scene first, preserve messages, account data, photographs and other evidence, and report promptly. Sexual offences can be reported to the Sexual Offences Unit, with medical care arranged as needed. Domestic violence is covered by the Domestic Violence Act 2015 and includes physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, psychological and economic abuse, intimidation, harassment, stalking, property damage and unauthorised entry. The Family Court can issue a protection order after considering the evidence. Applications may be made by a spouse, a person sharing a household, a child under 18, a dependant, a parent, a sibling or a person who shares a child with the alleged abuser; a police officer, Director, probation officer or approved social worker may also submit an application. The applicant needs identification and a signed application, and attendance is required. Judiciary information states that the filing cost is 1.20 dollars in stamps and that a court date is normally set within seven working days. The Family Court in Kingstown is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:15, with court sitting from 9:00 to 16:00; sittings also take place in Bequia, Canouan and Union Island. A protection order is not automatic, and a case may be struck out if the applicant does not attend. The Gender Affairs Division can be contacted at 784-453-2061. Its Crisis Centre provides counselling, shelter and, where available, limited relocation or reintegration support, with a 24-hour crisis line reached through Gender Affairs. Police can help arrange protection, a safe place and medical assistance. Family Court social support services provide counselling and mediation on a walk-in basis. These services support safety and recovery but are not the same as making a criminal report. The Family Court hears protection-order matters in camera, meaning the proceedings are held privately. The Director of Public Prosecutions conducts criminal prosecutions, while compensation is not automatically ordered through the Criminal Court; a civil claim may be considered after a conviction. Online blackmail and extortion through fake social-media accounts have been documented. Do not pay, meet the offender or forward intimate material. Preserve messages, profile links, payment demands and account information, use strong unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Report the matter immediately through 999 or 911, the Criminal Investigations Department or any police station. A standalone cybercrime agency or general online reporting portal was not established by the available research. Youth crime prevention uses Police Youth Clubs, Police Band and Coast Guard summer programmes, cadet and scout activities and mentoring. Schools alone cannot address the problem; parents, educators, communities, public agencies and law enforcement all have roles. English is the official language and the language used for police and court procedures. Police stations operate across the country, including the Grenadines, while court sittings are available on several islands. Reported crime can be affected by under-reporting and reporting behaviour, so police figures should be read with their dataset, period and counting method rather than treated as a complete measure of all offences.