Dear Editor,
In recent years, our organization has received a growing number of egregious police brutality and misconduct complaints.
For example, in 2019, a young man was held at gunpoint and assaulted by the police officer, resulting in eight of his teeth being either knocked out or damaged. He was awarded $82,000 in damages by the courts, but the police force has remained silent regarding any disciplinary actions against the officer.
More recently, just last week, a young woman suspected of a traffic offense was placed in the same South Beach Police Station holding cell as a male suspect, who proceeded to attack and sexually assault her. It is completely unfathomable that such careless and unprofessional negligence could occur at a police station in The Bahamas.
A viral video has also been circulated showing an unidentified man, allegedly an off-duty police officer, choking a young woman with both his hands around her neck, pushing her against a vehicle as he shouts for a pair of handcuffs and demands that the cellphone recording the incident be turned over to him.
In the video, the victim was not seen to be resisting or presenting any danger, yet both she and her boyfriend were arrested and taken into police custody.
Recording a law enforcement officer in the execution of their duties is not a criminal offense in The Bahamas; for the officer in question to seek to confiscate and presumably delete the footage, therefore, represents a violation of an individual’s fundamental rights to property and freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, the long-suffering family of Marvin Pratt is still trying to learn his whereabouts after he suddenly disappeared. Marvin was last seen in police custody more than three years ago. Eyewitnesses say he was placed in a marked police vehicle and taken to the Central Detective Unit. To this day, the police are denying having any arrest or detention record for Mr Pratt anywhere.
We are demanding that Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe and Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle conduct a full and fair investigation into these and other similar recent events of alleged police brutality and misconduct. If members of the public cannot feel safe in the presence of law enforcement officers, all of our human rights are at risk.
Human Rights Bahamas,
Committee on police brutality, prison and detention conditions
- To have your letter to the editor published, email eyewitnessbahamas@gmail.com. Please note letters should be under 500 words and refrain from using profanity, slurs or otherwise offensive language.
