Dear Sir,

A few months ago I wrote about an individual who has been vandalising a section of Railway Trail between Grape Bay Drive and the west end of Ord Road.

The gentleman, apparently known as “CA”, has for years littered the trail with large branches and rocks, and more recently, has taken it to another level by leaving faeces and faeces-soaked paper on the trail.

I contacted both the Bermuda Police Service and the Department of Parks in May, and received responses from both. The BPS Community Policing Department stated that it would attempt to observe the individual in action, although there seemed to be minimal interest in utilising the multiple witnesses who use the trail daily. I suggested that a restraining order be issued to keep CA off the trail, and the BPS confirmed that option was being considered by the parks department.

I have not been cycling the trail early mornings the past few months, but did so this past Saturday. I was not particularly surprised to find that the issue has not been dealt with. There are stairs to the trail by the Bright Temple Church, and he is known to access the trail in that area.

On Saturday there were multiple deposits of faeces and used toilet paper in that section. Farther west, there were the usual large branches and rocks scattered on the trail. And at the Ord Road bus lay-by, there was CA in person, sitting on the wall in all his glory, waiting for the bus — with no police or parks staff in sight. (I was going to stop for an autograph, but was on a tight schedule. Also I didn’t want to risk a urine shower from his bleach bottle.)

The police and parks department are obviously not grasping the seriousness of this issue. This is not a situation where an individual is causing a minor degree of inconvenience to others. CA is a significant threat to the health and welfare of the many users of the Railway Trail. He is not a passive individual. He is frequently aggressive and belligerent. He has allegedly threatened others by pulling a knife, and has been observed carrying a large pair of gardening shears. He carries a bleach bottle that apparently contains urine, which he is alleged to have thrown at others. And he always has a bucket, which is likely his transport for the faeces and toilet paper.

This individual needs to be permanently restricted from accessing the Railway Trail immediately — not next month or next year, but now! He should also be restricted from using the bus service. I wonder if staff at the Department of Public Transportation, including the bus drivers, are aware that the bucket and bottle he carries contains faeces and urine. In the meantime, the parks department should be sending a crew out to the trail every morning to clear the branches and rocks, and clean up the faeces and toilet paper.

Others have filed complaints to the police about CA. This is not a casual community policing issue. This is a mainstream police issue that needs to be taken seriously by the Bermuda Police Service, and addressed immediately. It is just a matter of time before there is a potentially violent confrontation between CA and a member of the public.

Is that what the police and parks department are waiting for? One would hope not, but based on the continuing inaction, it would seem that may be the strategy. Please deal with the issue now, so it doesn’t reach that point.

TOM CORMIER

Paget