The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A POLICE officer whose conduct led to a $103,000 damages award against the government, and to a rebuke from the Court of Appeal for kneeling on a man's neck, was promoted to assistant superintendent last week, prompting opposition calls for greater scrutiny of how police promotions are decided.

The Tribune understands Jerone Thompson was promoted from inspector to assistant superintendent. He was among about 1,300 officers promoted to ranks ranging from corporal to chief superintendent.

The promotions list has not been made public, and some appointments have raised eyebrows because of past lawsuits involving the officers promoted.

Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles did not respond to multiple calls and messages from The Tribune yesterday. On Sunday, she told this newspaper the exercise highlighted the force's commitment to recognising merit, professionalism and dedicated service.

Opposition leader Michael Pintard said he could not comment on the case because he was unfamiliar with it, but said his party had long been concerned about bias in police promotions. He said cases where officers had harmed the public or cost the public money should be examined and taken into account before promotions are issued.

Mr Pintard called for greater transparency in how promotions are decided and for a stronger, independent Police Service Commission. He also called for public hearings for senior positions and for vacancies to be advertised so that anyone meeting the criteria could apply. He said this would ensure people were not "caught off guard" when they saw certain names promoted.

ASP Thompson, Corporal Jamecko Thompson and the Attorney General were sued by Lynden Saunders for unlawful arrest, unlawful detention, false imprisonment, and assault and battery after an altercation in September 2018.

Mr Saunders was riding his motorcycle on Prince Charles Drive when he rode on the sidewalk to get around a traffic accident that the two traffic officers were investigating. They ordered him to stop and dismount. He did not have his driver's licence with him, and the officers did not believe he had given his real name, so he was arrested.

Mr Saunders said in evidence that ASP Thompson, then a sergeant, kicked his motorcycle to the ground, punched him in the face and body slammed him to the ground, causing facial injuries. He said the officer then knelt on his neck, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Mr Saunders was charged with assaulting the two officers and resisting arrest, but was acquitted. He then sued and was awarded $103,000 in damages. The trial judge found the officers were the aggressors and had used more force than was reasonably necessary. She also found that giving a false name was not an arrestable offence, so the arrest was unlawful.

The Court of Appeal upheld the award and also awarded Mr Saunders the costs of the appeal.

"It was of particular concern that the officers admitted to placing a knee on the neck of the respondent," a judge said in the judgment. "It is an even greater concern to learn from those officers that this is what they were trained to do."

He said that with three officers present, "there could be no justification for such a step being taken."