Police questioned about accountability and trust at GTC meeting Loop Cayman Islands

Black Immigrant Daily News

Local non-profit organization, Cayman Kind Action Committee, held a meeting with representatives of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) on Saturday, August 13, 2022 at the T.E. McField Youth & Community Centre on School Rd, George Town. The purpose of the meeting, according to Cayman Kind vice president, Carmen McField, was to discuss community policing concerns raised by residents, to learn more about procedures used by the RCIPS to process complaints and to encourage partnerships between the RCIPS and community members. In addition, the meeting sought to address a perceived breakdown in trust between the police and various communities, which appeared to be exacerbated by a perceived lack of accountability on the part of the police.

Showing accountability

On the issue of accountability, Ms McField asked the RCIPS representatives present to explain how the RCIPS shows accountability for the issues brought to their attention.

The reason for the question, according to Ms McField, is that ordinary members of the public do not understand the hierarchy or structure of the RCIPS, how complaints are managed once lodged, how communication takes place internally and what challenges are faced by the police when processing complaints.

Giving an example of one matter, Ms McField said:

A report was made from a lady in her seventies (that lives in Swamp)… about drugs and loud music and gambling.

[People] go directly to the fence line of her property to smoke ganja and the scent comes directly into her window. She can’t sleep at night. This lady is in her seventies and also under cancer treatment.

There were numerous reports, but no one came out and dealt with it.

She is getting no updates, no assistance, no help, no nothing.

Responding to the question, RCIPS Inspector Laing said:

Once the information comes to us… you mentioned drugs, you mentioned gambling… we have departments who deal with drugs and we have departments who deal with gambling. So, that information is sent to them.

Inspector Laing further emphasized that when the relevant RCIPS department acts on the reported information, it is critical for members of the public to appreciate that the speed of the RCIPS’ response to the public is not dictated by any organization (like Cayman Kind) or by himself, but instead, by the supervisor who is running the relevant department.

All we can do is keep on sending that information to that department, with the hope of something to happen very soon.

Inspector Laing said.

Notwithstanding Inspector Laing’s explanation, the issue at hand is that, while these internal processes are taking place and members of the public are waiting for responses, members of the public sometimes get frustrated and complain that there are too many “delays” in resolving their issues (members of the public get frustrated rather than trying to fully understand the formal process undertaken by the police and methods employed by the police, which may include interviewing witnesses, gathering and reviewing evidence and conducting further investigation).

In order to get a deeper understanding of the processes, Romellia Welcome, president of the Cayman Kind NPO, posed a question to Inspector Laing.

Ms Welcome said:

Once the information is sent in… don’t you guys follow up… saying can you give me an update on this, what’s the situation?

Would you guys come back and give us feedback?”

Responding to Ms Welcome, Inspector Laing confirmed that, while he and other police officers will normally follow up internally on reports, the challenge is whether members of the public want to continuously hear that “nothing is happening yet” on a matter or whether they are willing to wait until something substantial is achieved during the investigation, at which time a comprehensive response can be provided. Exacerbating the issue is the fact that response times may vary depending on the type of matter being investigated, which may be of no fault to the police, but, instead can be attributed to the complexity of the matter.

RCIPS representative, Michael Montague also weighed-in, saying that the management of each matter must also be seen from two angles- from the aspect of the persons initially getting to the scene as first responders following a call from 911 and the subsequent handling by the police.

Continuing, Mr Montague said:

The Commissioner’s goal… or what he promised to the Cayman people… is that we should have a Cayman Islands where we can be safe… without fear of violence.

Hence, the reason for a community relations partner.

So, that set us up to be a proactive department.

The mandate of that department dictates that we should go out and establish meaningful community partnership to address our challenges at the community level.

By establishing relationships with communities (as explained by Mr Montague), the potential for the police to address and solve crimes would improve. This is because such relationships can lead to the full the cooperation of community members, which can lead to evidence being willingly provided to police, accompanied by written statements or other helpful information.

Trust

Building such trusting relationships with the police, however, is a daunting and exasperating task for some members of the community. This is especially the case where community members had previous negative experiences with the police and, in order to take another chance with the police, they almost have to go through mental preparation, wanting the best result, but demotivated and skeptical based on past experience.

An example of such an experience was given by Mr Cleveland Henry, president of the Washington Blvd committee.

Mr Henry said:

We don’t trust the police.

I have called police about music behind my mother’s house. [She is] an eighty-year old woman [who] just had a surgery… they were playing loud music.

I called the police.

The policeman came and told the person that it was Cleveland Henry [who] called the police.

How can you trust the police?

Then, when we speak to the Commissioner about it, it is like he doesn’t want to hear it.

Mr Henry explained that, as as a result of experiences like this, some people in the community have begun to turn a blind eye to crime and other issues facing the community. Increasingly less reports are therefore being made to the police.

Defending the police, Mr Montague said that it is important for people to continue to make reports and give evidence because the police are looking for assistance of community members “to go on the record,” go to court and give evidence.

Once on the record, “it shows the truthfulness of what has happened and the police, hence, can corroborate what has happened,” Mr Montague explained.

Mr Montague added that, once on the record, a disclosure is customarily made to the “other side” so that they can respond to the allegations. Unfortunately, this disclosure to the other side is often interpreted as the police breaking the complainant’s trust, which is a part of the process that is perhaps not being adequately explained by the police to witnesses or persons giving statements or evidence to the police.

Meeting end

In closing the meeting, Mr Montague urged all community members to see themselves in a new role as “private detectives” i.e., helping to gather information and assisting the police.

Instead of attempting to be unofficial private detectives, however, one meeting attendee queried why more residents were not made special constables. This is because, as special constables, they might be in a better position to take action within their communities when something happens.

In response to this query, the police present appeared to nod positively at the idea, however, they noted that the relevant community members would first need to meet the RCIPS’ qualifications to become special constables.

The meeting ended on a positive note with the police looking forward to working with the Cayman Kind Action Committee and members of other communities.

NewsAmericasNow.com