THE high number of police brutality complaints may result from a lack of psychological preparedness training in new recruits, one mental health professional believes.
Psychologist Kirkland Pratt said as public complaints about the beating of suspects continues to mount, senior officers must consider the introduction of strategies such as psychological interventions and police therapists to help officers deal with the challenges of the job.
This comes after several other health professionals told The Tribune they believe the increase in brutality complaints – many of which come from within the force – are the result of occupational stress.
Mr Pratt said: “Locally, the mounting dissent against police brutality has become loud with direct appeals from a concerned society, impacted families, local and international human rights groups and the religious community.
“All of these groups advocate for an audit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and a more rigid vetting process for new recruits.”
He noted that in January, Police Commissioner Elliston Greenslade announced that there had been 128 complaints of assault in 2012, enough to prompt investigation.
“Notwithstanding the collective disgust of society against the intolerable level of crime in New Providence, no civilian under arrest should be entrusted to police custody under Her Majesty’s order to protect and serve in perfect health only to be wheeled out of custody as a corpse.
“In no way am I advocating for softening on criminals, but I am conscious that we exist in a sovereign democracy which we are held accountable to uphold,” Mr Pratt said.
“I am left to ponder: How does the upper echelon of the police force psychologically prepare recruits and officers for the rigid and taxing duties that they must experience on a daily basis? Is there a full time psychologist attached to the force? What ongoing programmes are implemented for psychological support, social ethics orientation, ongoing police sensitivity and emotional intelligence training?”
• See the Health Section in Tuesday’s Tribune for Kirkland Pratt’s full column.
Comments
goodread 11 years ago
Police Brutality can also be verbal/emotional abuse. Everyone who comes into contact with the police is NOT a criminal and they dont seem to realize that. Some officers dont know how to do something as simple as speaking sensibly to law abiding citizens so I am not surprised at physical abuse claims. Much more training is needed, DESPERATELY. From personal experiences, a minor infraction such as a blown brake light can lead to high powered machine guns being pointed in your face and being addressed with foul language. When has it become the place of an officer to make rude comments about an individual's choice of fashion (muscle shirt) at a routine traffic stop or to advance upon your female companion? The lack of professionalism on the police force disgusts me!
CAFS 11 years ago
I couldn't have said this better. Our police officers need to be educated and there needs to be some accountability. They embody what happens when power gets to someone heads.
Ironvelvet 11 years ago
You know when I was in high school, a private school to remain unnamed, my friends and I were in school uniform and pulled over just as we turned onto the campus. The police harassed us because they thought we shouldn't have been in such an expensive car. There were 4 girls and 2 boys. They searched the boys and when they found a condom, looked at us girls and asked, "so which one of you is he hitting off?" I was so embarrassed and shocked, as I had never been spoken to like that in my life! They also proceeded to search the car.
That night when I went home to tell my father he laughed and said you all are too young to know the law. First they pulled you all over on private property (they are supposed to ask permission of the land owner to do such things) and they searched the car without probable cause.
They all need more job and professionalism training.
wave 11 years ago
No, No, No this does not wash at all. Lack of training is just a nice way to spin the problem that now faces the police force and it's commander and chief. If you chose not to deal with this problem, it will effect the Bahamas on the world stage.
lazybor 11 years ago
great excuse!
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concernedcitizen 11 years ago
we are a violent people ,we discipline our children w/ violence , we lose our tempers and shout at them and hit them ,this teaches force as a way of conflict resolution ..the U/S murder rate is 4 for 100,000 ours is 27 for 100,000 thosand ,,,violence begets violence ,why do we expect our police not to be violent ,they were beaten and slapped as kids and taught that violence gets results ,,
CAFS 11 years ago
Yes, the Bahamas needs to take a look in the mirror because this is a social problem. Our society/type of parenting reinforces violence.
SP 11 years ago
Bahamas police force culture of brutality, excessive force, verbal and psychological abuse is not only commonplace in the Bahamas. See examples below of police brutality from other regional countries:
Jamaica vide police murder an individual with impunity: http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos...">http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos...
Barbados police arrested and beat a confession out of the wrong man in a rape case:
http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.co...">http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.co...
Trinidad video, angry police pointing loaded gun at crowds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz-uaq...">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz-uaq...
Dominican Republic, Amnesty International reports police responsible for 15 percent of all homicides:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/22/sto...">http://www.thepetitionsite.com/22/sto...
ScaredinNassau 11 years ago
So what you are saying is that if other countries do it, it's acceptable for the Bahamas??
CAFS 11 years ago
For a people as arrogant and prideful as we can be, how ironic is it to now look at other countries to justify/make us feel better about our own problems? Of course police brutality happens elsewhere, but that does NOT make it ok.
concernedcitizen 11 years ago
we are a violent people ,we lose our tempers and shout at and hit our children ..this teaches them that violence is an accepted form of conflict resolution ,,,,i see on a continual basis young men and women shouting and threatening their children w/ physical harm ,and then actually inflicting that harm in an angry manner ,,that is violence ,,then we go around saying " spare the rod spoil the child "
Ironvelvet 11 years ago
There is a lack of training. I agree with Kirkland Pratt. If you want to extend that to the excuse above that we live in a violent culture what do you expect...well my dear readers that is also a result of lack of training except in the home as you never learned how to practice verbal and physical restraint. Its lack of training!
The police need to be trained better, paid better, and held to higher standards and accountability.
stand_up 11 years ago
Hi there, I'm in London working as a record producer and I just got a call from ,y son who wrok's on the our Lucaya beach resort as a water sports instructor.
He had his car sprayed by plain clothes police who followed him and then started opening fire.
he pulled up to a squad car thinking they would stop or drive off but they came out the car while changing clip to shoot again.
he drove off. further up the road they met them lying face down on the ground.
they arrested and charged him and his friends with knocking down a police officer which they did not do. he told me that the police was trying to break his back bumper off with his foot.
he said he looked up while lying face down on the graveled floor only to have his face stomped on the rocks by an officer's shoe.
Please help.
He said they came by his grandmothers home without a search warrant and as she was asking them to produce one they just barged pass her stating they came to search her premises.
My other son, Antonio's twin, who also works on the beach doing the same thing, started shouting at them for pushing his grandmother and they wanted to arrest him for protesting their heavy handedness towards his nan. she stopped them and both she and him and her other daughter who just had a baby were all arrested.
now i know this message is a bit long winded but i think it's important that you get the full story.
he and him friends are now on a $9,000.00 bail. He's enrolling in COB(while he works)to qualify to study law over here. I am an affiliate with the bahamas high commision. and I want to but i don't know how to bring this matter up to them. but if need be i will make it my life's work to bring this to the forefront of the world.
I don't blame the police when they allow the few bad apples that wreak havoc on a helpless public.
I blame the people who fail to make noise when wrong is being done by those sworn to defend the law.
Im really sad, upset but most of all im angry. to know that if you are poor and cant afford a lawyer, there is no means by which you can get representation.
CAN YOU HELP? IF NOT DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE CAN GO TO RECEIVE SOME ASSISTANCE? He's been through alot Mr. Darville. And his head is in the right place.
ambitious hard working and keeping his nose clean. Now this. Please Help.
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