After much sharing of unprofessional exchanges between police officers and Bajans in recent days, the Attorney General is assuring citizens that the ones found guilty will not get off scot-free.
Using words similar to the idiom that one bad apple spoils the bunch, AG Dale Marshall has said that the bad will not be allowed to taint the good name of the whole Barbados Police Service. They will be dealt with and dealt with soundly.
I’ve asked him to investigate every single incident
He said on social media and in the news recently there have been “a number of biting criticisms of the professionalism of the service, those criticisms and if true, the matters complained of are sure to erode the public confidence and relationship between the Barbados Police Service and the average Barbadian. I want to assure you that as Attorney General, and I’m sure I speak on behalf of the police high command and perhaps on behalf of every single officer, the kinds of things that are complained of, if true, I am after all a lawyer…so we have to say if true, but if true, there are things that simply cannot be tolerated.
“I have had a serious discussion with the Commissioner and I have told him, I’ve asked him to investigate every single incident, and if true, the individuals complained of are to be read the Riot Act and punished as severely as the regulations allow.
“One errant police officer can make the difference between you feeling confident about coming forward and saying, ‘I saw this’, ‘I know this’, and we want to restore that confidence.”
Just two weeks ago, one man sent out a voice note lambasting an officer after he did not respond in a fittingly appropriate manner when he called in to complain about a man in The City trying to shoot at him and steal his vehicle or worse. Fearing for his life and livid about the treatment meted out, he went to the nearest police station and while there, reportedly, a couple came in corroborating his story, but adding that the perp was successful in stealing their car.
You really feel every two weeks I should be waking up hearing how the police don’t take nothing seriously
Then last week, a girl on Twitter said that she called the police to report her friend was involved in a domestic dispute and allegedly was asked, Why the friend ain’t call herself? Adding insult to injury, the caller said that she made the report at Black Rock Police Station where the Annex houses the Family Conflict and Truth Verification Units.
police complaint tweet
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And in alignment with what the AG said about these incidents having an impact on the wider society, a thread of tweets by persons sharing their experiences began. One tweet that got many likes and retweets said: “You really feel every two weeks I should be waking up hearing how the police don’t take nothing seriously but 6 of them on a highway with a speed gun doing what?” And the person even added the prime minister’s handle to get her attention on the matter.
Additionally, Attorney General Marshall admitted that some slip-ups may happen, so he encouraged the citizens to continue to call them out so that they can be addressed.
“The members of the service will make mistakes but when we make those mistakes we do not intend to hide them. When we make those mistakes, with your help, we are committed to doing whatever has to be done to make sure that they are not repeated.”
He reiterated, “The importance of a good relationship between the police service and the Barbadian public cannot be understated… if you see something, say something.”
The AG was delivering remarks on Sunday in Groves, St Philip, at Calvary Temple Community Church where they held a special service under the theme ;Reassuring the reassurer’ to recognise police for their service.
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