BETTER COMMUNICATION: Cop Talk aims to bridge gap between police and citizens

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police Commissioner Paul Rolle yesterday said there will be a platform called Cop Talk to build a better relationship between citizens and the police force.

On a live Facebook video, Rolle said he felt there was some unfair scrutiny of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and he wants to change the narrative with their own show and radio station. 

“When you build relationships, you get to know people differently,” he said. 

He also said the show will be used for people to get to know him as well. 

The show is expected to provide more reliability and accountability to the public and will be focused on heavily during this police month, according to Rolle. 

The commissioner said police month will focus on the theme “Grace and Peace”. 

“It’s only because of the grace of God that I’m standing,” he said. 

“It was difficult trying to keep the Bahamian people safe. 

“There has never been a commissioner who has served outside the pandemic but me.”

He said, however, he will be pushing an agenda for more community-oriented policing and encouraging officers to exercise more restraint or less lethal forces. 

“I told them don’t let the trappings of that uniform get to you,” Rolle said. 

He said there will be more training in his policing plan regarding fundamental human rights. 

“I want them to understand that it’s not just The Bahamas; we are accountable to international bodies,” he said. 

“As the leader, I would be a fool to put my head in the sand. 

“I have to set the course for this organization.”

When asked about arrests of officers and crime reports, he said there must be balance and the agency is tasked with keeping people safe. 

 “When there is a breach in trust, there is accountability and the matter with the officers are being addressed by the courts,” Rolle said. 

“Simply locking up police officers is not good enough; we have to fix the problem and fix ourselves.”

The commissioner said with regards to the latest murders, there must be a mindset change among the people and there should not be so many officers needed. 

“But when you look at the level of crime, you can see why there is a need,” he said. 

He said he plans to use multiple strategies to increase police involvement in the community through more walkabouts, visits to senior citizen and children’s homes and competitions.

Written by Eyewitness News Intern Kareem Minnis