By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
THE coroner yesterday questioned how three police officers were on break simultaneously during their shift, leaving only one officer at Central Police Station the night a 60-year-old detainee was in custody — only to be found dead the following morning.
The inquiry unfolded during an inquest before Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux, examining the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of Hartman Dawkins on January 22, 2023. Officers reportedly discovered him unresponsive in his cell during routine morning checks.
An officer previously testified that there was a six-hour gap in Dawkins’ detention record between his last wellness check and the discovery of his body, describing such a lapse as “highly unusual.”
Police Constable Enrique Bain, who was ten months out of police college at the time of the incident, testified yesterday that he reported for his midnight-to-8am shift on January 21, 2023.
At 12am, he checked on Dawkins in his cell and saw him respond when beckoned. PC Bain said Dawkins had no verbal or visible complaints at the time and that he was alone during this check.
He said at 1.26am, he and Police Constable Roc’Juorn Gardiner returned to the cellblock, where he said he observed Dawkins sweating heavily and attempting to drink tap water. He claimed he stopped him from doing so.
Dawkins reportedly told him that he needed to relieve himself and that “his pressure might be up.” He said he asked Dawkins if he had anyone who could bring him medication, to which Dawkins responded, “No.” PC Bain said he reported Dawkins’ condition to Corporal Duncombe, the officer in charge that night, who allegedly told him that Dawkins had a medical condition.
However, when questioned further, PC Bain admitted that he never checked the detainee’s personal belongings for medication. He was then shown a detention record listing Dawkins’ belongings, which included his medication. He conceded that had he reviewed the record, he would have seen that Dawkins had medication in the station.
He also testified that he was unaware if Central Police Station had a first aid kit and confirmed that he had received no first aid or CPR training.
He admitted that at 1.41am, just 15 minutes after checking on Dawkins, he left the station for a two-hour break. He initially planned to get food but was instead called to Climax Lounge downtown, where a large group of bikers was reportedly causing a disturbance on the sidewalk. He said there was no physical altercation but said the bikers were blocking traffic.
He claimed that PC Gardiner accompanied him to Climax Lounge, but his testimony conflicted with PC Gardiner’s previous statement that he was asleep during his break at that time.
PC Bain further admitted that he did not document his involvement at Climax Lounge in his police notebook.
Coroner Turnquest-Deveaux challenged how constables Bain, Gardiner, and Kenneth Johnson all went on break at the same time, leaving only one officer in charge of Central Station, which, she noted, has one of the largest detention blocks in New Providence.
She pointed out previous testimony indicating that at least ten detainees were in custody that night.
Adding to the complications, PC Johnson testified that he was on a two-hour break from 3am to 5am and that he went to get food with PC Gardiner. He also claimed that from 1am to 3am, he, PC Bain, and PC Gardiner were on foot patrol, which contradicts both PC Bain’s and PC Gardiner’s testimonies.
PC Johnson also admitted that during one of his cellblock checks before 1am, Dawkins told him he had been vomiting. He claimed he reported this to Corporal Hepburn, who was in charge before CPL Duncombe arrived later that night.
On the morning of January 22, PC Johnson said he found Dawkins unresponsive in his cell after 7am. He knocked on the cell door, called Dawkins’ name, and checked for vital signs.
When questioned, he said he could not recall if there was a first aid kit at the station but believed he had received CPR training at police college in 2022.
When shown a duty roster, which indicated which officers were assigned to the cellblock, he claimed none of the officers were verbally instructed where they were to be stationed.
His testimony also placed him at Climax Lounge, where he said he assisted PC Bain with the large crowd. He said an assistant superintendent was also present but failed to note their identity.
He confirmed to the coroner that he briefly returned to the station between 1am and 3am before going on break from 3am to 5am.
However, PC Bain and PC Gardiner previously testified that they were on foot patrol with him — a timeline that directly conflicts with their statements.
PC Gardiner had previously testified that at 2am, he heard Dawkins repeatedly shouting, “Oh Lord, oh Lord,” while sitting upright in his cell.
Meanwhile, PC Johnson told the jury he was unaware that Dawkins had medication in his belongings.
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