The front page of today's Tribune shows a police officer with a high powered weapon apparently being used to assist in the quelling of an aggressive crowd at Bank Lane on Wednesday November 4, 2010. This intimidating posturing by the police leaves a lot of concern about Royal Bahamas Police Force ability to credibly and civilly address the numerous variations of conflict that they face. Really, what is this officer, suggesting with his weapon at the ready? If the public and the authorities do see this posturing as troubling then, we have become and desensitized to increasing violence in our society; and are prepared to condone any act of force to suppress civil disobedience nosy crowd / mob / robbery / rape etc.
As I write this you are reminded that I am very pro police and in no way am I attempting to minimize what I personally know is a very difficult profession. Never the less there must be balanced, appropriate, and justifiable response by law enforcement. Use of Force Management, demands the application of just enough force to control with applicant keeping mind reasonableness and human rights.
Thus the police must make greater efforts to prevent the obvious. Not just the police, but the Ministries of National Security and Tourism, as the unrest at this location will have tremendous rippling affects. Bank Lane for quite some time has become the stage where accused persons are displayed publicly for ridicule and on many occasions praise and admiration. Whatever the current public opinion is of the persons doing the 'bank lane shuffle', the fact that the State has taken these persons into custody makes the State responsible for their safety, well being, and protection. For this reason and the potential damming fall out, why suspects and the escorting police / prison officers are continuously exposure to injury, assault and harm, at this point is beyond me.
Simply deny access at the perimeter of the court location to members of the public who have no business being there. This can be done immediately by developing a witness list, that is all persons who attending court should be listed on a daily register that is maintained by the police and court officials. This is not difficult as list of prisoners are available daily. This short term solution will reduce the number of persons who just 'hanging out'. Another recommendation is building a decorative perimeter fence, not chain link but perhaps decorative iron work that does take away from the charm of downtown but limits access by those who appear to be charmless.
It makes no sense to dispel disruptive persons from Bank Lane, when the obvious spillage area is Bay Street. Now the angry and disorderly group are on you main street, for the whole world to see. Initiatives, not necessarily mine, must be put in place now to minimize this daily event. Frankly, it should just be stoped post haste and arraignments of this type be done at Fox Hill Prison or be video conferencing. I am certain that many alternatives are available to stop this unnecessary parading.
To wait for the disruption, knowing that it is eminent borders in my opinion on lunacy. Compound this with inappropriate response mechanism and tactics, exposes the public ridicule, legal and civil liability. Simply put, eliminate opportunities for these types of events, prevent them from happening.
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