Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 23, 2017 (SKNIS): In his press conference held at the Police Training Complex today, Commissioner of Police, Ian Queeley, said that no one is above the law with reference to officers committing offences and that each officer will be held accountable for his or her own actions.
The commissioner said that during the past year, upon taking leadership of the security organization, there were several cases against a number of officers for failure to perform their duties and other violations in breach of the regulations and standing orders of various laws.
He said that to ensure early disciplinary charges, each of the Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) was assigned as trial officers in each division and the deputy is at liberty to try any case in any one of the divisions.
“This has significantly reduced the backlog of disciplinary cases,” said the commissioner.
Commissioner Queeley said that, additionally, the police service was challenged with two incidents of police involved shootings.
“Both incidents were fully investigated and the files were forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for review,” he said. “One has led to criminal charges against one of the constables and the position of the other awaits completion of the review.”
In addition, four officers were also charged for criminal offences.
“To date, one of those cases has been disposed with the officer being dismissed from the organization and receiving custodial sentence from the court,” said the commissioner.
Commissioner Queeley said that persons can rest assured that police officers who commit offences will be dealt with.
“I have at all times expressed and reiterated that in instances where officers run afoul of the law we will investigate and we will hold our officers responsible for their actions to account,” said Commissioner Queeley. “No one is above the law.”
The press conference was held to update the public on the status of the police force and its ongoing efforts to achieve the objectives of maintaining law and order in St. Kitts and Nevis.
