Two police officers will be hauled before a tribunal to answer to disciplinary charges after they reportedly told distressed persons that the police could not respond to their situations because they did not have a vehicle.
The police officers, two constables, are from the Georgetown and Colonaire police stations, respectively.
Commissioner of Police, Michael Charles made the disclosure while fielding questions from the media on Wednesday.
Charles said that every police station in the country does not have a vehicle.
“But, for a police officer to tell someone who has a problem that no vehicle is available, we don’t tolerate that. I got a call sometime ago from a concerned citizen living at Diamond [who] called the Stubbs Police Station, there was no transport, called the Calliaqua Police Station, the transport was out, and the person at the police station just leave it like that, just tell the person no transport.
“The person called me. Between Stubbs and Calliaqua [there is] the Rapid Response Unit. All I did, I called the Rapid Respond Unit and they responded,” Charles said.
“… When someone calls to the station with a problem, they don’t want to hear if the police have transport or not. They want their problems solved, and not for the life of me, I don’t understand why some police officers still telling people there is no transport.
“That is not people’s concern,” Charles said, noting that previous police chiefs have stressed that point to officers.
“I can tell you that there are two officers who will be going before the tribunal for disciplinary charges for these same things,” Charles said.
St Vincent and the Grenadines…Third world country with Third world Cops. I found them inept and functionally illiterate. I have first hand experience with them and I mean all of them that I had the displeasure to meet. Here are some examples.
#1 Right there in Belair some time ago there was some altercation between two young men. One was chasing the other with a cutlass and he swore that he would chop him to pieces. The victim ran into my house for cover and the assailant following with cutlass wielding.
We prevented the cutlass wielding assailant from entering the house and immediately called Calliaqua Police station and explained the urgency. They said they had no transport. We then called Kingstown and were told that Calliaqua has to deal with that area. In the meantime the victim is hiding in the house afraid of his life and the assailant foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog trying to push his way into the house. No one showed up until three days after to get a report. Case closed.
#2 At 2:00 AM I was awakened by my screaming neighbor who woke up to a burglar in her bedroom. The burglar ran off with her handbag and I saw her running after him. The Calliaqua Police was called and they showed up several hours later. One week later an officer came to me for an eyewitness report. He took three hours to write that report. No one was apprehended. Case closed.
#3 My house and my business was broken into and vandalized while I was away. Stole items that cost thousands of U S dollars to replace. 60 inch HDTV. 3 Blackberry handsets. Iphone. Ipad. PDA. Electric tile cutting wet saw and numerous other items. The police did NOTHING. Oh what a country. Police force without enforcement. SVG. Paradise without people.
Let me quote “Lively” Dem ah rob, Dem ah rape, Dem ah kill each other an thief. Dem dangerous. Man cyan live wid mankind no more.
#4 One time I called for help with another domestic problem. The officer told me the transport did not have fuel.
I have seen Police and other Government vehicles on the road with bald tires and wire and thread showing and with cracked windshields driving on the streets.
Please forward this to the PM. He can respond to my e-mail address on file.
Officers may faced disciplinary action because they reported the truth- no transport at the station? Codo from Chateaubelair after her home was raided by members of the black squad she collapsed and subsequently died. Yet the CoP cannot say when the investigation will begin. It took the police 7 days to say that something resembling marijuana was found at her home. CoP Charles are you telling ‘john Public” that members of the RRU, (‘Black Squad’), who carries out raid after raids on people’s home don’t what marijuana look like?
I agree with you one hundred percent Mr. Commissioner. That’s the way to go.Police Officers who treat the citizenry of this country in such manner must be held accountable for their actions. They ,the taxpayers are who pay their salaries. They must be disciplined if there is evidence to prove this complaint. I hope that the affected person(s) is/are willing to give evidence at the enquiry.
Now Mr. COP Charles, what exactly do you want the officers to do in such a case where there is no vehicle? Have you circulated any procedures/protocol manual that outlines the steps to be taken by officers in these and other similar situation? Were you aware of those problems faced by the officers and did you take any steps to address them? Are the police divisional systems functional? Do you carry out periodic operational reviews with your senior managers? Are you aware of a issues affecting the morale of the officers? Have you taken steps to address these issues? Do these officers get the full support of their commanding officers? Under what conditions do these officers work?
Perhaps you should attempt to answers the above questions before hauling the before any disciplinary tribunal.
BRAVO SIR, BRAVO.
“I got a call sometime ago”…. Clearly his friend, who knows his number, got that “no transport” response which is regular, and he is mad. Mr CoP, i would like you to make that number public so all callers in need can be served.
My house was broken into twice last year and on both occasions i have had a flat screen stolen. My girlfriend was held at gun point on the 1st break in, when she called the police same shit, no vehicle available. I do do despair with the law enforcement in SVG when a young lady is held at gun point in the wee hours of the morning and no one could go round to console her. It is no wonder we have so many break ins, these thief’s know they aint gonna get caught .
The frustration is such with the unprofessional behavior of our police, I wish the housing market was more buoyant so I can sell-up and invest elsewhere.
There needs to be a change in government for all the reasons stated above.