BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, May 26th 2014 (TUCOM) -- In response to concerns raised regarding police brutality, unlawful arrests, arbitrary arrests, detention, and other violations by the Police, a Team Unity government commits to establish an Independent Police Complaints Commission to deal with accusations against the Police.
Dr Harrisin responding to a question at Team Unity’s Listening Tour last Thursday in Sandy Point he said “modern policing in a just society requires that when our people have concerns and issues particularly as they relate to those call upon to protect and serve us, we should havesuch systems to address such concerns and issues independently. Fairness requires that we do not put the police to be investigator, prosecutor, judge and jury in their own case.”
In recent times citizens have been shot in strange circumstances by the police. There have been reports of abuse of power by the Police. Additionallythe increasing politicization of the Police Force and inappropriate politically biased statements by Commissioner C G Walwyn has aggravated the situation. It has alsodemoralized the Police and eroded public confidence in the Police Commissioner. In the context of the foregoing both police and civilians are asking for transparency and justice.
All over the world Independent Police ComplaintsCommissions/Authorities have been set up with the overall aim of conducting investigations independently and improving public confidence in the PoliceForce. Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago have much experience with such Commissions. Barbados established its Authority in 2009.
It is headed by senior retired Justice Leroy Inniss and includes several attorneys. According to Justice Inniss – “The Authority exists to provide justice, not on the one hand to harass the Police or on the other to condemn misconduct on the part of the Police.”
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