Honest officers should be paid a bonus for turning down bribes, says former senior policeman

As of Tuesday, January 15, 2019

FORMER Assistant Commissioner Paul Thompson.

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

LAW enforcement officers have more incentives to look the other way, according to former Royal Bahamas Police Force Assistant Commissioner Paul Thompson, who yesterday recommended “honest officers” be paid bonuses for turning down bribes.

Mr Thompson made the suggestion during an appearance on The Guardian Radio talk show, Real Talk Live with guest-host Howard Grant, insisting local law enforcement officers are being offered substantial bribes to compromise their posts.

Responding to a caller who raised concerns with the level of corruption in which present-day enforcement officers are involved, Mr Thompson said that he, on several occasions, recommended to a former Police Commissioner that officers be paid for every bribe he or she turned down.

He said: “I recommended when I was on the force, the Commissioner disagreed, if somebody hands a police officer a bribe of $1,000 to let them get away with something; the police officer arrests the man…”

The host interjected: “And takes the bribe?”

Mr Thompson responded: “No. He arrests him. He arrests him with the bribe. I am saying the force should reward that police officer.”

The host again interjected: “With $1,000 themselves?”

Mr Thompson responded: “(Yes), that would encourage police officers to continue to do well. People would be scared, you’d be scared.”

In a later interview with The Tribune, Mr Thompson added: “It’s just commonsense, Here we have officers who are being offered these bribes, in some cases every day. How long before you think it would be before that man would look at it and say, they paying me just as much or more for less than a day’s work?”

He continued: “When I was on the force, we had this officer down in San Salvador, he was working there for many years and he had applied for a vacation. We sent a younger police who was working his way up the chain down there to hold on for him.”

“In no time he found himself in a spot where he was given a gold Rolex watch and $2,000 in cash to allow two Colombians and an American to fly a plane into the airport late at night.

“That young officer, still being relatively new and unquestioning in his duty, tried day after day for a while to get to me. He didn’t trust the phones because he thought the switch-board operator was in on the scheme.

“He finally got to me and told me about the scheme. We brought him to Nassau, he showed us the watch and the cash and told us everything. We were able to set-up a sting and catch those involved,” he said.

Mr Thompson told The Tribune that almost all of the country’s major law enforcement agencies are rife with stories like that.

Mr Thompson asserted that it is unconscionable to expect officers to constantly say ‘no’ in a society built on financial gain.

“When I presented the idea the first time, I was told it would set a bad precedent. Look at where we are at now,” Mr Thompson said.

“Everywhere you look, there is something untoward happening. If police officers are given an incentive to do the right thing, they would do it. I’m not talking about big money, maybe a percentage of what they were offered. I’m talking about some money in their hands as a way of saying ‘thank you for remaining true to us’. It would encourage them to do the right thing.

“I see it as cutting out corruption. I see it as rewarding our hard-working men and women and telling them ‘thank you’.

“If this was implemented today, tomorrow we’d have more tickets written up, more criminals turned in,” Mr Thompson claimed.

CatIslandBoy 5 years, 3 months ago

I'm certain that Mr. Thompson is sincere in his suggestion to help root out corruption, but don't we already offer the officers a reward for their integrity. It is called a salary.

watcher 5 years, 3 months ago

But surely the dishonest officers would (being dishonest) claim that they are honest?

rawbahamian 5 years, 3 months ago

This man has got to be a mental patient to suggest that police be paid for being "honest" even though the police oath they take expects them to be honourable and honest coupled with the fact that they receive a salary for these. And just how the hell do you decide who is and isn't honest ??? He better go back to geriatrics and change his diaper !!!

bogart 5 years, 3 months ago

EXCELLENT.....PHENOMENAL.....STRAIGHT OUTTA THE FORMER BOSS MOUT...DECADES OLD OBSERVATION....TRUTH BE TOLD....2 SHORTCOMINGS........THE BRIBE OFFERER MUST ALSO BE JAILED.....if not seems then bribe offered higher up da ladder if bribe offerer is not punished......NEXT....WHY should the police offer a bonus to the bribe taker and the bribe offerer can offer a bigger bribe....SOLUTION......USE THE..... EXISTING LAW ON THE BOOKS CALLED THE CAT A NINE TAILS.....to give an attitude ajustment .......behaviour modification...to all found guilty....Cat o nine law ...do not believe it was ever removed..?many countries still use spankings....Singapore ...a country many nations want to emulate..!!!!

TalRussell 5 years, 3 months ago

Yes, or no - former comrade assist commish Paul who he self served with unblemished, distinguished record of public service - might even want extend his 'cash for honesty' program to MP's, senators and government appointees who after serving their elected or appointed terms in office - that is if they can prove they haven't ethically 'slide backwards' - can then make application to the treasurer of PeoplesPublicPurse' to receive their earned lump sum payment 'cash for honesty' bonuses. Yes, no?

bogart 5 years, 3 months ago

NOW LOOK WAY YOU GOING wid this now all ....the way through Gubbermint....whichin will highly likely to ever see any politician....ever....convicted.....simply because they have money...influence...and means...to hire the best legsl minds....uses the connections...relations....ties....to ever be convicted...!!!!!....

TigerB 5 years, 3 months ago

I disagree with him...the watchword for police officers is Courage Integrity and loyalty, that is the code they should live by when they do it is to be excepted as the norm for a police officer.

ThisIsOurs 5 years, 3 months ago

They will take your money and the bribe.

joeblow 5 years, 3 months ago

I will chalk up this bit of lunatic advice to senility!

Officers should immediately arrest anyone who offers them a bribe. There is a basic character standard police should have and they should be aware of that!

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago

TRANSLATION: Even the corruptible are deserving of being rewarded one way or another.....and the more corruptible one is likely to be, the bigger their reward (bonus) should be.

This type of warped mindset is all too pervasive throughout our very corrupt government.....from our parliamentarians right on down the ranks and throughout the files. Wouldn't we all like to be paid not to be corrupt and on the take?!!! LMAO

Gotoutintime 5 years, 3 months ago

A novel idea---A man paid to be honest---Man, times have changed!

realfreethinker 5 years, 3 months ago

Someone please tell grandpa Paul his time has passed. He must be senile. By the way who let him out of the asylum?

TalRussell 5 years, 3 months ago

Yes, or no, it's my job to hush you tread carefully.how you attack a comrade with a lifetime unblemished caliber the likes Paul who had leave school as a Jamaican lad at age 14 to raise hogs and chickens and delivery bread and cakes because his family couldn't afford pay the fees. A comrade whose commitment the law as one we most gifted policeman's who went on to risk his life in a shootout with numbers man's Talbot Stokes. Yes, no a honourable policeman's quickly rising through ranks as a detective, inspector to high rank assistant commish da policeman's.Paul came from Jamaica as young man and he went on make our Bahamaland a much safer, peaceful place our loved-ones to live in.

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