The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle says the Royal Bahamas Police Force takes its relationship with the public seriously and stressed his commitment to remove the “warrior mentality” from officers as they interact with people.

That mentality, he said, breeds confrontation.

His comment came after several high-profile incidents of police using deadly force, including last month’s police shooting of a decorated Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer among other incidents.

“I want to assure members of the public that we take our relations with the members of the public very seriously and you know we police by consent and that policing by consent means that we have to always try to maintain a good working relationship with the members of the public,” the police chief said during a virtual press conference.

“That being said where we find breaches, we’ve seen the level at which I have taken to address the concerns and I’m hoping that will be a step in the right direction and then at the end that we have these cases really reduced to a minimum while we build on our relationship with members of the public.”

 He said it was his vision to reset the mindsets of some officers.

 “Let’s start with the issues that are on the table. The public has expressed some concerns and those concerns that the public has expressed didn’t just happen, they have happened over a period of time, but while I’m here I am trying to at least begin the process you see because the more we have the use of force, the less cooperation you tend to get from members of the public,” he said. “So, policing to try to change the mindset of police officers from this warrior mentality as though we are in a war.

 “That’s a confrontation. We need to move the police force towards a partnership where people could feel comfortable talking with their police officers. Comfortable giving their police officers information. That is where we are trying to head and so more and more that’s going to be one of the things that I want to do and make the public assured that we are going to do our part to make sure that we all are accountable for our actions.”

 In 2021, the force recorded 20 incidents of police-involved shootings, resulting in 11 deaths and nine non-fatal injuries. Ten of the fatal injuries are before the Coroner’s Court, one is before the disciplinary tribunal and one is before the Magistrate’s Court. In four of the non-fatal incidents, the suspects that engaged the police were charged.

 Seven police officers have been placed before the disciplinary tribunal and interdicted regarding a December 12, 2021 incident involving victims Antonio Johnson Jr, Anton Rolle, Hughshan Perpall and Wildoneshia Dorsette.

 Meanwhile four officers charged with manslaughter on Wednesday in connection with the November 2021 death of Danrico Carey have also been interdicted from duty.