BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – POLICE are investigating allegations made by a Traffic Warden against a male member of the Force’s Drug Squad, who she claimed violated her rights as a woman and confiscated a number of personal items during a stop and search operation on Wednesday, June 9.
Brenda Warner of Middle Island told SKNVibes that while on her way to work at the Bronte Welsh Primary School, the car in which she was travelling, driven by one of her sons, was stopped by members of the police force who were conducting a stop and search operation in the vicinity of Old Road Bay along the island’s main road.
“On Wednesday, June 9, 2010, I was travelling to work at approximately 8:05 a.m. When I got to the vicinity of Old Road Bay I saw the police officers were doing a stop and search exercise. The vehicle that was taking me to work, which was driven by my son Javid, was asked to pull over,” she said.
“One of the male officers (name provided) said, ‘Jump out, I want search you.’ He start searching me by putting his hands in my pockets and told me to put my bag on the car. He then put his hands in my bag and began searching it,” she added.
According to Warner, a woman police was among the officers and it is her belief that she should have been the one to conduct the search of her person and bag and not the male. Warner also stated that the only thing the female officer did was ask for her name.
“While searching my bag, the male officer took out the ID of my other son, who is a fire officer. He also took out my bank card and a picture with my son and some friends; one of whom is dead. The officer then asked me, ‘Who ID is this?’ And I responded, ‘My son.’ I ask him for the ID and he said that he is going to hold everything for investigation,” Warner explained.
She further stated that the said officer then proceeded to search her son and also the car.
“He started searching the car all over from inside to outside. This started from approximately 8:05 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. The officer then said, ‘Come go now, leave the scene.’ And I went straight to the Basseterre Police Station to report the matter and a female officer told me that the boss for the officer who I was reporting on was over at the Fire Station.
“I then went over to his boss, who called the officer on his phone while I was there in the office. The boss told me that the officer said that he did not take anything from my son and me. I then returned to Basseterre Police Station to make an official report.”
The Traffic Warden further explained that while at the station with her son, a Corporal and a number of officers, who were present during the time she was searched, walked into the building.
“The officer at the desk told the Corporal that I had made a report against one of his men. The Corporal then said he was going to check on the officer to investigate what happened. But when he returned, he told me that that the officer said he only took a picture from me. I was not satisfied with what I was hearing because the officer was lying. So I went to other officers in th station but I did not receive any justice; everyone I went to keep brushing me off. I also spoke to my boss, Mr. Wattley, and he said he is going to forward the information.
SKNVibes contacted Assistant Commissioner (ACP) Joseph Richardson on Friday, June 11, who said that Warner did make a report and the matter is being investigated. He also addressed the force’s policy on searching an individual.
“Male prisoners and suspects are searched by male officers, and female suspects and prisoners are searched by female officers. However, in respect to any container or bag that both male and female may have in their possession, an officer of either sex can search them,” Richardson explained.
In response to Warner’s allegation of the officer seizing her bank card, son’s ID and the photograph, ACP Richardson said, “As far as I know, investigations have revealed that only a photograph was taken from Ms. Warner for investigating purposes.”
On a second visit to this media house, Warner alleged that the officer threatened her while she was at the bank to cancel her card.
“On the 10th of June while at the Development Bank, I saw the officer, who told me, ‘No kay who you to I will deal with you and you son.’ I do take this threat seriously and feel that I was not given justice on what happened,” she said.
Warner was asked if the alleged incident at the bank was reported to the police and she replied in the negative. SKNVibes however advised her to do so at the earliest opportunity.
