Bringing in 11 guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition after a New Year’s Eve roundup, the V.I. Police Department was able to make a small dent in the number of firearms on the streets but had barely “scratched the surface,” according to Police Commissioner Ray Martinez.
Though Martinez was hopeful that “Operation Silent Night” – designed to cut down on the celebratory gunfire that rings out across the districts each New Year’s Eve – was one in many ongoing initiatives that would help the dent deepen. Along with bringing in the nearly dozen guns on St. Thomas – including three assault rifles and eight semi-automatic handguns – Martinez said police had arrested two for firearms possession and turned up leads for future arrests.