Public safety agencies across government have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangement (MAPPA) in the Cayman Islands to manage high-risk sexual and violent offenders, and strengthen public protection.

The announcement came in the last 24 hours and the MADAHA team came together for a photo on August 10th, but the agreement has been in effect since June 17, 2026. The initiative brings together police, corrections, rehabilitation, border control, emergency communications and child welfare agencies in one coordinated process.

Officials said the arrangement aims to improve risk assessment, strengthen information sharing and protect families, victims, children and other vulnerable people.

Formal cooperation on public protection

The memorandum was signed by the Office of the Commissioner of Police, the Ministry of District Administration and Home Affairs, Cayman Islands Prison Service, the Department of Community Rehabilitation, the Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service, Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman, the Department of Public Safety Communications, and the Department of Children and Family Services.

Last week the Cayman Islands Ombudsman announced an own-motion investigation into child safeguarding, which had followed concerns about missed opportunities to protect child victims in police investigations.

The agencies said MAPPA would provide a lawful, structured and intelligence-led process for handling cases where offenders could pose a threat to public safety. Under the arrangement, partner agencies would share relevant information, hold MAPPA meetings, and work from a shared understanding of risk, with clearly defined responsibilities for each body involved.

Governor Jane Owen said the arrangement strengthened national security by turning shared responsibility into practical action.

She said: "Strong partnerships are essential to keeping our communities safe. This agreement brings agencies together around a shared commitment to protecting the public, supporting vulnerable people, and ensuring that risks are managed effectively. It is a positive and practical step towards a more secure Cayman Islands."

Minister for District Administration and Home Affairs Nickolas DaCosta MP said the NCFC Government wanted safer communities, stronger systems, and practical action on public safety.

"The NCFC Government is focused on building safer communities through practical, coordinated action,” he said. “This agreement is about ensuring that agencies do not operate in isolation when public safety is at stake. By strengthening information sharing, accountability, and joint decision-making, we are delivering now and preparing for tomorrow - building a more secure Cayman Islands for families, victims, and communities."

Under the MOU, the Office of the Commissioner of Police will lead or co-lead MAPPA meetings, support governance and strategic direction, and ensure that relevant policing intelligence was shared with partner agencies. That includes information linked to indicators of offending, compliance with court orders, risk escalation, and safeguarding concerns. The agreement also supports the development of public safety and media communication strategies where needed.

Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton said the arrangement strengthens the ability of agencies to act together in the public interest.

"When agencies share information responsibly and act together, we are better positioned to identify risk early and respond effectively,” he said. “This agreement strengthens our collective ability to protect the public, support victims and public safety, and to support victims, vulnerable persons, and ensure that high-risk offenders are managed through a coordinated and accountable process.”

The Ministry of District Administration and Home Affairs is to support overall governance by providing policy guidance, strategic direction, and administrative support with the Office of the Commissioner of Police, while helping maintain accurate records and ensuring that concerns related to public protection could be escalated to senior Government bodies when necessary.

Chief Officer Michael Ebanks said the agreement showed the value of breaking down silos across the public safety system.

He said: "Public protection cannot rest with one agency alone. It requires trusted partnerships, shared information, and coordinated action. This agreement gives us a stronger framework to assess risk, manage complex cases, and ensure that decisions are informed by the right people at the right time."

Agencies to share custody, rehabilitation and welfare information

His Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service is to provide information on offenders in custody, including custody status, sentence details, prison conduct, release dates, breaches, disciplinary incidents, and planned or emergency releases. It will also contribute to risk assessment, pre-release planning, post-release monitoring, and case conferences to support safer transition and supervision in the community.

The Department of Community Rehabilitation is to provide community-based supervision, rehabilitation, and reintegration support in line with court orders, conditional release licences, and MAPPA management plans. The department is also to share supervision updates, breach information, compliance concerns, victim concerns, and other matters that could affect the level of risk.

Acting Deputy Chief Officer Lisa Malice, who oversees the Prison Service, the Department of Community Rehabilitation, and the Department of Public Safety Communications within the Ministry, said the agreement will support stronger continuity across custody, rehabilitation, emergency communications, and community supervision.

She said: “Managing risk effectively requires clear communication across every stage of the public safety system. This agreement supports stronger coordination between agencies, from custody and rehabilitation to monitoring, emergency response, and community-based supervision. It helps ensure that high-risk cases are managed with greater consistency, accountability, and care.”

The Department of Public Safety Communications is to support MAPPA through emergency call handling, dispatch services, CCTV, electronic monitoring, and technical support for secure communication between partner agencies. Its role also included maintaining logs and audits of MAPPA-related communications and data exchanges.

The Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service will provide information on immigration status, travel history, and border movements where that mattered to risk assessment and public protection. It is also to notify partners of attempted or successful international travel where that movement could raise public safety concerns, and to support border management strategies consistent with MAPPA plans.

Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman are to support the arrangement by providing relevant employment, residency, and immigration-related information where it could assist with public safety considerations. That could include changes in residency, citizenship, work permits, employment status, or other matters within its remit.

The Department of Children and Family Services is to contribute safeguarding and welfare information where offenders, victims, children, families, or vulnerable adults might be affected. It was also to take part in risk assessment and planning when safeguarding concerns were identified.

The MOU also sets out safeguards for the handling of personal and sensitive information. Information sharing under MAPPA is required to be lawful, necessary, proportionate, and formally recorded. Partner agencies remain responsible for confidentiality, data security, retention, and disposal practices in line with the law and approved procedures.