NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Two videos purportedly showing an alleged Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) officer on Bimini slapping a man to the ground and beckoning him to come for more has once again put the organization under the spotlight.
In the footage, which is making the rounds on social media, a man wearing a white singlet, shorts and a face mask tells the alleged officer: “I don’t like man, bey.”
Before he can finish the sentence, however, the alleged officer, who appears to be in uniform, slaps him, making him stagger.
“You catch ya’ [expletive] self, come here,” says the alleged officer as the man retreats several feet away behind a parked car.
The purported officer repeatedly beckons him to return.
“One more, come here,” he says, while waving for the man to come back.
“Come [expletive] here. No, no, buddy, don’t push me. He’s coming here. Come [expletive] here.”
The 11-second clip ends at this point.
It is unclear when the footage was taken.
In the second 11-second clip, the man can be seen holding a plastic cup and pointing in the direction of the officer, who appears to be riding in a golf cart.
He says something inaudible before the officer slaps him to the ground.
“I give you one. Come closer to me, come here,” the alleged officer says.
“Get up. Get [expletive] up. Get up. You out here liking man.”
When asked about the incident on the sidelines of the RBPF’s annual church service at Police Headquarters on Sunday, Police Commissioner Paul Rolle said: “Tell that man to make a complaint.”
He did not get into specifics on the matter or indicate whether he had seen the videos in question.
Calls placed to the officer in charge of the Bimini Police Station were unsuccessful.
The videos were widely condemned on social media, with some calling for the commissioner to investigate.
Others asserted an immediate dismissal was in order.
Facebook user Corey Thomas said: “I say [the officer] abused his power to the first degree.
“Now this is what I call assault and [he] should be arrested and charged for assault and battery. I see a lawsuit coming.”
Another user, Stacey Smith, called the incident “despicable” and called for the alleged officer to be immediately dismissed.
Leonardo Cartwright asserted that the videos were a testament to young men being treated like slaves in their own country.
He called on the public not to stand idly by.
“One thing I learned in life is that one day the bottom of the bucket will fall out,” he wrote.
“Things will get better once we stand together and fight together for all of us.”
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