The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle says officers have to take “personal responsibility for their integrity” in the aftermath of a police officer facing the courts on drug related charges.

Mr Rolle told reporters yesterday that he will maintain his own integrity by taking the appropriate action when officers breach the law.

He was adamant that despite such instances placing the force’s integrity in the limelight, the organisation should not be implicated based on the actions of individual officers.

“You cannot beat the police force over an action of one individual,” Mr Rolle said.

He added: “I can’t babysit no grown man and woman.”

The police chief’s comments came in the aftermath of a police officer facing the courts along with two other men in relation to a recent drug seizure.

Asked if any measures are being taken to find out if other officers are involved or to prevent others being involved in such activity, the commissioner stressed the importance of integrity.

“We conduct our investigation and if the investigation leads to the other persons then they with me. I can’t babysit no grown man and woman. We train our officers in discipline and we stress integrity and integrity is a personal thing. We have to police this country and the commissioner cannot be everywhere at every time. Officers have to take personal responsibility for their integrity, their personal integrity, and the reputation of this organisation which we represent.

“I’m saying to you when an officer decides to breach that I am going to maintain my integrity and take the appropriate action to maintain the integrity of this organisation to make sure as I think the question was asked earlier whether or not people still maintain the respect and the confidence of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

“You can’t beat the police force because of an action of one individual. You can’t beat no more than you could beat the Prime Minister for one person in the country committing a crime. So, I don’t want nobody to try to blame the Commissioner because a police officer commits an offence. He does that on his own. I did not send any of them to commit an offence.

“We speak to our officers constantly the way you conduct yourself, maintain public trust, maintain your integrity. This is what we do. Now that’s a personal decision and you notice we are free because we didn’t do anything. So, whenever an officer runs afoul of the law we take action and I will continue to do that until my last day, which is very short.”

In a police release on Friday, police said there was ongoing investigation on the island as a result of a drugs seizure.

“Police have arrested and taken five male suspects into custody in connection with this incident. They include three Police Officers and two Colombian nationals,” the release said.

The commissioner said: “I don’t want to prejudice any aspect of the investigation, but yes, I’m concerned that we have an officer being charged, but let us dwell on the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.”

He added it is “never a good feeling” particularly when they have to put a senior officer before the court. Nonetheless, Mr Rolle wanted the public to know the RBPF’s executive team were people of integrity who take the “appropriate actions” wherever they find misbehaviour.

Mr Rolle insisted the fact that action is being taken should aid in building public trust.

“What the public should see is that the police is taking action and the fact they take action against their own. That should help to build the confidence in the public that the police are prepared to do, which is right regardless. We’re also putting before the court a politician for alleged acts done by him. So, it doesn’t matter who the individuals are, we do what we have to do,” he told the media.

This is not the first instance recently of an officer implicated in a similar incident. Last December, police arrested two men from Venezuela who landed at the Crooked Island Airport with suspected cocaine.

When they were arraigned in Magistrate’s Court, the men, Luis Andres Perez, 29, and Jaime Digiacomo, 64, said a police officer was involved in the matter.

The commissioner said no officer had been arrested and the RBDF was investigating the claim. However, Mr Rolle said in February there was not sufficient evidence to prove the officer’s involvement thus the officer returned to active duty.