Montserrat"s Commissioner of Police Statement On Video of Officer In Verbal Harassment Towards Member Of The Public

Author

Royal Montserrat Police Service

Release Date

Friday, September 11, 2020

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The Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS) is aware of a video being circulated on social media, showing an Officer dressed in civilian clothes, engaging in a verbal dialogue/interaction with at least one other member of the public.

Since the video has now become a matter of public debate, and may be a subject of an investigation and or internal discipline, I cannot discuss the video in detail.

However, I wish to indicate that the role of the RMPS is to protect and serve the people of Montserrat, and to ensure the community’s overall safety through the enforcement of the laws of Montserrat. Our officers are trained to uphold this, and are on duty at all times; whether in uniform or not.

This therefore means that an Officer can question any person at any time, and whether that person is a suspect of an offence or not, or whether an offence is being committed or not. At the same time, one of
the core values of the RMPS is ‘respect’ and our Officers are expected to treat others with respect, and in return should also be treated with respect.

I also want to remind members of the public, that they too play a vital role in the ‘community policing’ technique which the RMPS implements. Members of the community have a social responsibility to help the police and provide the police with information—even if the information is pertaining to other Officers.

In this regard, I also want to point out that social media and or other forms of public media are not the avenues to address matters of concern as it relates to the police, and or any other sector of the public service. There are processes and procedures which should be followed, such as making/filing a formal complaint to the appropriate authority, so your matter can be appropriately addressed.

I am therefore encouraging members of the public to contact the Office of the Commissioner of Police, to file a formal complaint, if they have concerns about an Officer at telephone number 491 2585 or a report can be lodged to any senior officer and or at the front desk of any police station. All reports and or complaints will be investigated professionally, transparently and in a timely manner.

On behalf of the Royal Montserrat Police Service and the Montserrat Fire and Rescue Services and the Office of the Commissioner, I say a special thanks to the community for its support as we continue to keep Montserrat safe and maintain our enviable position as the safest community in the world. Let us continue to support each other as we work to keep Montserrat safe.

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