Latest update March 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 26, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor;
Police misconduct and partiality have caused me and my family much sorrow and revulsion. I am therefore compelled to write about a particular officer at the Sisters Police Station in Berbice and the way in which he performs his duties to law abiding citizens.
A few days ago my father (Wazil Bacchus) was driving to his residence at Sisters Village from New Amsterdam when a man, who was in a drunken state, drove a canter truck recklessly in front of him, as he tried to overtake the truck the man braced him and caused damage to his car (minor scratches).
My father remained behind him allowing him to proceed. The man who was driving the canter later stopped in front of his house in Lonsdale Village (in the middle of the road).
My father stopped to complain to the mother of the driver of the truck. The man in the canter then exited his truck, picked up two bricks and threatened my father to “brick him down”. My father managed to escape his attack and went to the Sisters Police Station where he lodged a report.
He gave a detailed report on the matter and was advised to make a report at the Traffic Department in New Amsterdam for the reckless driving offence. This is understandable. However, he asked the officers if they can warn the man with regards to his threats. They informed my father that they will summon both of them at the Station to facilitate a confrontation between the two.
A few days later my father was summoned to the Sisters Police Station for the confrontation. The driver of the canter truck was not present, instead his mother was. She alleged that my father threatened them. Based on her false allegations my father was physically manhandled by an officer (name supplied).
He grabbed my father by his shirt, held him behind his waist and took him on a bench in the station and shouted; “you are under arrest”. I can’t begin to fathom the manner in which that officer reciprocated to the allegations made by that woman.
Why is it that the said officer didn’t respond in that manner when my father made a report against the canter driver? What sort of partiality is this? Was this the most appropriate way to treat a reputable citizen of this country? I then spoke to another officer (via cell phone) at the said station.
I explained to her what really happened. They released my father, apologized and told me that they didn’t quite understand the story hence, they responded negatively to my father.
My question is; when will these officers conduct proper and thorough investigations? Are they competent enough to do so? I have completely lost confidence and hope in our police officers who are expected “to serve and to protect” the people of this country. I advised my father not to ever go back to the police soliciting their help.
I am not interested with any probing into the matter because nothing comes out of it. This letter is to let the nation know how innocent people are being mistreated and exploited by the police every day.
If I am to start enumerating incidents of mistreatment and personal experience with the police, space will certainly not permit it. It should be noted that I wrote a letter in Kaieteur News on May 12, 2016 captioned “Police misbehavior at Sisters Village in Berbice”, nothing came out of that exposure.
Perhaps, vindictiveness is the way of response to that letter. I conclude by making an appeal to all police officers to conduct thorough investigations and stop harassing law abiding citizens of this country unnecessarily. I implore you all to conduct yourselves in a professional manner and serve and protect the people of our country. Innocent lives can be destroyed with your misdemeanors.
Ashan Bacchus
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