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Upsurge in Mentally ill persons inflicting ‘serious’ injuries to others lately- RVIPF

- Force calls for families & caregivers to pay close attention to needs of mentally challenged persons
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) said they have noted an upsurge in mentally ill individuals inflicting severe harm on others of late. Photo: VINO/File
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool said stress levels in the Territory are high with the recent COVID-19 outbreak. This she said can lead to more conflict with those suffering with chronic mental illness. Photo: VINO/File
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool said stress levels in the Territory are high with the recent COVID-19 outbreak. This she said can lead to more conflict with those suffering with chronic mental illness. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) says it has noted an upsurge in mentally ill individuals inflicting severe harm on others of late.

The RIVPF said in the last three weeks; there have been a total of 15 recorded incidents representing a general upsurge in incidences involving persons with mental illness. 

Of those incidences, the RVIPF said in a press release on August 10, 2021, “either family members and neighbours were seriously injured, threatened or had to be rescued from a mental health patient. Household items were also destroyed. Most of the patients had to be taken by Police to the Behavioural Ward at the Peebles Hospital.”

The RVIPF also mentioned that there were two separate incidences that “involved persons coming to the Road Town Police Station. Both were incoherent, and one was carrying an imitation firearm.”

Family intervention needed

Using the press release platform, the RVIPF encouraged relatives of mentally ill persons to seek assistance at the first indication of unusual behaviour by their loved ones by calling the Mental Health Unit at 852-7675 or the Psychosocial Hotline 541-2383.

“Stress levels in the Territory are high with the onset of the recent COVID-19 outbreak. This can lead to more conflict with those suffering with chronic mental illness,” Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Jacqueline E. Vanterpool said.

“It is important that caregivers are sensitive and responsive to these signs ahead of the crisis and get the necessary help,” she added.

16 Responses to “Upsurge in Mentally ill persons inflicting ‘serious’ injuries to others lately- RVIPF”

  • y (11/08/2021, 08:31) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Sometimes I wander how people could come to a conclusion that everything is covid long before I was born there was an m mentally institution
  • Yo (11/08/2021, 08:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The man with the fake gun is my boy Papa fo sure he stay wid a fake one now ah days.
  • bb dsadffg (11/08/2021, 09:18) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
  • ndp (11/08/2021, 09:28) Like (10) Dislike (24) Reply
    vip stress syndrome
  • resident (11/08/2021, 11:49) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is high time that the bvi get their heads out of the sand and realize they need to build a psychiatric hospital/home for these persons. Relatives are not always close by to these individuals. Some dont listen petiod. When one of them seriously hurt somebody and they get hit with a lawsuit they will know.
  • Query (11/08/2021, 12:35) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    So why are they still occupying the HOA?
    • Clever one. (11/08/2021, 17:27) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
      Haha I saw what you did there.

      On a real, where is the institution for them? For years we singing the same song, they should not be on the road.
  • Dancing in the sunshine (11/08/2021, 15:06) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I often wonder why persons would consider a person to be mentally challenged without being certified by a Psychologist. In order for someone to be certain that a person has mental disorder, the Psychologist would conduct several exercise and interviews with the individual during the assessment before concluding that such person or persons suffer from mental problems.

    In order to have some level of control over mentally challenged individuals in our communities, relatives and friends should ensure that those persons are taken to have their medication regularly and monitor their activities. Some of those persons may only require to feel that they are loved and cared for and that can make a difference in their lives.
  • Windy (11/08/2021, 17:03) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    No run ins with COS-C ?
  • Fake News (11/08/2021, 17:06) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    MOST OF THIS IS FAKE AND IS APART OF A VERY CONTROLLED MEDIA.
    MANIPULATION, HOWEVER FOR THE MOST PART LIKE EVERY STORY THERE IS SOME TRUTH IN IT.
  • SAY ONE (11/08/2021, 22:05) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    SAY TWO THESE MEDICATIONS THAT THESE COMPUTER DOCTORS WHO HAS A LICENSE TO PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS / ARE NOT TELLING YOU ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS THAT COMES WITH THE MEDICATIONS AND WHAT YOU CAN END
    UP AFTER YOU GET ONE PROBLEM UNDER CONTROL ANOTHER ON SHOWS UP AND THE BEAT GOES ON
  • ... (12/08/2021, 03:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I need help also but the only thing they have here is horse tranquilizer or the go slow drug
  • Responsible (12/08/2021, 08:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    grt them off the street and get them help. Families ir not m. The public safety is the responsibility of the Governor as he iss iver police fire and the likes. We also have a Minister of Health an at large elected member of cabinet, who is claiming his fame for his actions with Covid-19 forgetting that the community has other issues. Families dont care or cant cope. Politicians and the Governor to busy trying to make each other look bad. So the problem of the mentally challenged will remain the problem of the scared threatened untrained public who can do nothing but try to avoid them.


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