est. 2007

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Police ‘Raids’ Red Sea In Deacons, Alleged Police Brutality

BU understands the Barbados Police Force ‘raided’ the area known as the ‘Red Sea’ in Deacons Road on Saturday 22nd January 2011. During the ‘raid’ five persons were arrested. Among those arrested  were photo journalists Sandy Keisha Pitt, 32 years of Bush Hall, St. Michael, for the offence of assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty and Cheri Alisa Pitt, also of Bush Hall, St. Michael, was arrested and charged for, failing to move and keep moving, armed with a weapon adapted to cause injury, assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty and resisting a police officer.

BU now publishes an alleged account of an incident which occurred. The account does not reflect the opinion of Barbados Underground.

I can’t believe how the police in Barbados brutalise human beings and after they arrest people and turn around the story. Saturday jan 22 around 430 when the police just got to Deacons rd… I happened to be passing when I witnessed the beating of sandy and cherie pitt from a POLICE officer unmercifully. I had to ask myself do they have mothers, sisters or children , I could not believe it when I saw how bad he unfaired these two girls and BEAT them like they were hardened criminals. The officer pushed cherie pitt for absolutely no reason then she told her sister to get his badge number and when she said so he locked off her neck and throw her to the ground and gun butt her and when  sandy came to get his number he hit Sandy in her head so hard with that BIG GUN she fell to the ground in pain and the gun dropped from him the same time. He then dragged Cherie on her knees across the road can u believe a man could actually do this to a woman in front of other people and children.

This incident made me cry cause I honestly felt for them. I think we Barbadians need to speak out about this incident and all those who saw what happened on saturday should speak out this is not fair. POLICE BRUTALITY needs to come to an end. Now these girls got charged wrongfully. I beg u Barbadians please come forward and speak about what u saw the same way I did it is unfair.Women come out too because no man should be allowed to beat women so and get away with it. Right now cherie’s toe is broken n Sandy has soft tissue damage to her head!!!! please pass it on!!!

The pictures inserted in the blog are provided for your viewing.

103 responses to “Police ‘Raids’ Red Sea In Deacons, Alleged Police Brutality”

  1. Mash Up & Buy Back Avatar
    Mash Up & Buy Back

    Wasn’t Sandie Pitt the same nation photographer involved in a police tussle when a police constable was being taken to court which led the COP to hold meetings with the media to discuss better police media relations?

    If the Police did as is being alleged,then that is NOT acceptable.

    However persons who know those girls say they are not easy at all so we need to get ALL the facts.

  2. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    How is it you only hear about police beatings when “journalists” are involved?

  3. anthony Avatar
    anthony

    They don’t get reported otherwise carson.

  4. St George's Dragon Avatar
    St George’s Dragon

    Maybe because their job is to place information in the public domain such as police beatings?
    This would be one of few occasions like this that have made it into the news, though.
    I know for cetain that when a woman’s handbag was stolen in Croc’s Den a year or so ago, the police beat up the culprit in the washroom.
    The BPF need to understand that they cannot do this sort of thing any more.

  5. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    What is clear is that the Police have difficulty dealing in certain areas, including ‘Red Sea’.

    Therefore, may I suggest that in line with the need to ensure the Police have capability to deal with these issues, that in accordance with the views of many people currently, we do as necessary to the legislation to accomodate current needs and amend the Constitution to allow the Police immunity from prosecution and alsoi to allow the Police to detain persons as necessary and for whatever length of time they see fit?

  6. George C. Brathwaite Avatar
    George C. Brathwaite

    @Crusoe
    You wrote: “may I suggest that in line with the need to ensure the Police have capability to deal with these issues, that in accordance with the views of many people currently, we do as necessary to the legislation to accomodate current needs and amend the Constitution to allow the Police immunity from prosecution and alsoi to allow the Police to detain persons as necessary and for whatever length of time they see fit?”

    Well I will be damned! I do not believe that an individual would recommend giving away their rights at a time when in the USA, the UK, and many countries around the world, measures are being implemented to curb the transgressions that have been taking place in relation to citizens’ rights. Yes, we need to have law reforms, but we do not need in Barbados the eradication of individual rights with the possibility of further infringements on human rights. What has gotten to you, is the Police to be made an entity from which the citizen has no recourse if that citizen believes, rightfully or wrongfully, that he/she has suffered at the hands of the Police? Perhaps you may understand why certainty regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice is so important and why there is something called the rule of law.

  7. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    The Police in Barbados have enough power to deal with crime in Barbados.

    When you raid a high crime area you go with a swat/etf team and the violence is limited.

    I don’t where you are living Crusoe but the police in Barbados have more than enough power and “dey doan mek sport”.

    Word to the Pitt girls. There is no point going to war without a weapon.Now hire a good lawyer and sue.

  8. Technician Avatar
    Technician

    @ Hants…

    Sue who?
    Don’t make people laugh man.

  9. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Was this witness the only person in Deacons Road? How come that no one saw the alleged police brutality or maybe, this could be the script for a movie. Just curious.

  10. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    Crusoe

    we do as necessary to the legislation to accomodate current needs and amend the Constitution to allow the Police immunity from prosecution
    *******************
    Well I’ll be damned. Don’t amend the law to allow an outstanding Bajan to be appointed to an important position but change the law so Barbados can become a Police State

    Just when I thought that I’ve heard everything.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    Interesting about the cases which involved journalists, be they photo journalists or other, was the noise which the traditional media and the Barbados Association of Journalists orchestrated. In the case of this alleged incident not a word. What gives!

  12. Tell me Why Avatar
    Tell me Why

    Is it true? This is really the pits. (Bajan parlance)

  13. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    Habeus Corpus has existed since 1305, during the reign of Edward I. For us Bajans, its most compelling use was seen in 1771 in Somersett’s case where a black slave was ordered to be freed, with the words, “The air of England has long been too pure for a slave, and every man is free who breathes it.” It is suspended only during times of national emergency, like world wars. Our friend Crusoe is now suggesting that it be suspended at all times at the whim of the Police. He proposes to set back civil liberties by over 700 years. How long, one asks, before he recommends the reintroduction of slavery?

  14. Ping Pong Avatar
    Ping Pong

    Crusoe

    these posters are so dense… I note that you have astutely and perceptively posted “that in accordance with the views of many people currently, we do as necessary to the legislation to accommodate current needs …”! These “many” who now so righteously defend a 700 year old law cannot recognize their own argument as per another issue.

  15. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    @PingPong, RFLMAO!!!

    Exactly. I thought that the Constitution was archaic? I thought that we could change it at a whim?

    Lol. It is good PingPong, it is good!

  16. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Amused ”Habeus Corpus has existed since 1305, during the reign of Edward I”

    Also Amused (from anothe blog) ”The people vote a government into office. It has a majority. It decides in the interest of the country to change the laws. It has the mandate of the people (from the ballot box) so to do. It changes the law. Matter done. That is the method on which we, a democratic society, operate.”

    ——

  17. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Obviously I would never support giving Police unlimited powers (nor relinquishing Habeus Corpus) Lol.

    But, I knew, I knew and expected the reaction…and resulting inconsistent treatment of legal amendment.

    Ha ha.

  18. Skinning Cuffins Avatar
    Skinning Cuffins

    Thats it, we need more laws in Barbados. Don’t worry about all of the laws the Police already have to carry out effectively their function of maintaining a civil society.

    The problem is Barbados is we often do things for the sake of doing them, it makes feel good about getting something new done, we are taking charge of this situation. Rather we should be looking at why civil society is becoming less inclined to adhere to the rule of law and why the Police in Barbados do not, more effectively, maintain law and order.

    The Police force in Barbados does not need more laws, what it needs is to be modernised and its ranks motivated to perform at a higher and more profession level.

  19. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Skinning Cuffins. Well said.

    @Crusoe. I see no contradiction.

  20. Anonus Avatar
    Anonus

    Amused, you have been caught out in the slips by Crusoe. By the way, it is HABEAS CORPUS.

  21. Miss Observer Avatar
    Miss Observer

    I am a law abiding citizen, who have watched carefully how the police here in Barbados go about their daily task. I must say I am not impress, mainly due to the fact that the police lack interpersonal skills, the use of basic English and most of all the ability to earn respect. I think that most of these problem were perpetuated by the fact that we are probably scaping the bottom of the barrel in the recruitment process and secondly how the training is structured. I feel that if we are to see an improvement we must first address these issues. Police must also be taught the simple Dale Carnegie Principles of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

  22. Mr Observer Avatar
    Mr Observer

    The police have my full support. The Pitt girls must behave themselves. Journalists have rights but the Pitts exercising their media rights wrong. Frequent confrontatations with police is not the way to go. The police must contnue the raids and go back to places they raided before without warning. Neighbourhoods with blocks where criminals gather and hatch crime 24/7 are known to law abiding residents. The youth on the block (not all of them) refuse to work but find money to buy dope and use it openly 24/7. They terrorise neighbourhoods across Barbados with the assistance of some deviant parents. Dont stop the raids RBPF. My neighbourhood watc group will send the police a list of blocks in the St. Michael where raids should take place. Arrest and keep the criminals on the run. Keep up the good work officers.

  23. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Anonus. I stand corrected on the spelling of Habeas Corpus. Can’t think how I made that mistake. As for the rest, well……..

  24. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Mr Observer. By all means arrest and by all means chase down criminals. BUT, the Police do not have the right to use more than necessary force. From the report above, they are alleged to have used excessive force, which is a criminal act in itself. I doubt you are saying that the Police should be entitled to commit crimes themselves. But, if you are……….well, just let us hope you yourself are never suspected of committing a crime.

  25. Springs Avatar
    Springs

    When I was growing up I always heard that there were 3 sides to a story, yours mine and the TRUTH.
    What we as a society need to find out is if this article is even true by hearing both sides of the story and then cast our own opinions.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @Springs

    How do you think you get at the truth? It starts by putting the sides which are known on the table. For too long Bajans have shown the inclination to wait for information to drop from the sky instead of chasing it. Let us see if the Pitts are thrown to the wolves by traditional media if what is alleged is true.

  27. poor people governor Avatar
    poor people governor

    So just so the police beat her the police are not correct for treating her soo vicious, but she was trying to hinder them from doing their job tell me something real gangsters bout and dem was humble why she could not be humble also the men came out for SERIOUS BUSINESS
    Mackenson rush hour she should of cooled her tail i like the pitts but right is right.
    Also my friends from the Farm and Sea said that she start the man first and was running talk
    he should not of treated her so un kind but wtf she just diddnt shut up and let the people do their work

  28. AK083 Avatar
    AK083

    Am i the only one who finds it suspect that the Pitt sisters are always at the fore-front of some confrontation with the authorities and always crying “abuse”….yes the have rights as journalists, but the police also have rights as POLICE…from the time you assault a police officer in the execution of his duties, you have commited a crime, thereby classifying yourself as a CRIMINAL…and these two are MULTIPLE offenders…i received the exact story above in a bbm blast and it occured to me…why is it that Cherie Pitt (who initially sent out the bbm broadcast) is the only person who has this dramatic account of this incident…there were scores of onlookers most of which had camera phones, why have none of them posted pictures, videos or worded accounts of this incident…i can think of a few reasons why but i’ll let you come to your own conclusions…

  29. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    It seems like most people wants to see the drug business in barbados brought under control but still they want the police to deal with these hardened criminals with kid gloves. I wonder if these Pitt girls are looking for easy money, if they are involved in the drug trade too, if they are just nuisance to the police as they are used by the gangsters to try to ease pressure off the criminals, they need investigating. I had a run-in with one of them one day and I didn’t like her manner. Simply put she thought that she had the right to do and go where-ever she wanted because she was a reporter. She was told not to trespass and tried to diss me, I had to get rough with her and she threatened to sue me, I just laughed at the little upstart. One day, if she doesn’t stop her stupid arrogant behaviour, she will be taught a harsh lesson. In this case I don’t know the facts but I have no sympathy for her.

  30. smooth chocolate Avatar
    smooth chocolate

    not that i don’t believe the witness report but it seems strange that she happened to be passing the area when her friends were being beaten. she has intimate details their bruises so she must know them. next, with all the cell phones around, how come no one took pics of what went on? when we leave home to go next door, we walk with our phone. this witnessed had none? i do not condone lawless acts on anyone especially females but i am inclined not to believe the report above. i get the impression that the ‘witness’ was there with the journalist and her sister, if she was then they would have been prepared, so why did she not take pics of the incident as it unfolded? my answer is that she couldn’t because it would show that the police did not brutalize the females.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    @smooth chocalate

    Could it be the Pitt sisters maybe suing if the matter as witnessed is true?

  32. WikedLeaks Avatar
    WikedLeaks

    AK083, you seem to know a lot about repeat offenders. Tell us how many people got framed for assaulting the police when they tried to get away from some hot licks. How many innocent people were beaten up in police Stations this week? How many people had their phones tapped illegally, tell us
    Tell us about the woman who was framed for feeding her baby to the pigs and while you are at it, tell us why your fellow officers sometimes are too scared to arrest the Rich ‘N Famous when they commit crimes in Barbados, tell us .

  33. David Avatar
    David

    The two situations are separate but in the context of discussing how the police can improve their ‘bed side manner’ when doing the job many questions have to be answered and a different approach encouraged.

    The AG has been uttering the right message despite his diplomatic remarks regarding Dottin and his Deputy. It is all about execution, too much talk!

  34. poor people governor Avatar
    poor people governor

    At Scout NO ONE IN BARBADOS WANTS TO SEE THE DRUG BUSINESS STOP JOHNNY!!!!!!
    Stop lashing out at the Pitts how you really think that the country is run….how you think people get so wealthy these individuals that live in the lower communities are only at the bottom of the barrel don t use the forum as personal vendetta investigate first you really perplexed me with that statement
    What people want is for people not to shoot AROUND CHILDREN AND INNOCENT PEOPLE keep that around themselves and kill them one another simple to me you to

  35. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    poor people governor
    The day bajans accept the drugs trade as a way of life, is the day barbados would have lost it’s integrity, we would then become like Jamaica, Guyana and T&T with a murder rate in the hundreds annually. The drugs trade must be controlled if not stamped out, lock them up, when they raid cut their backsides and if anyone gets in the way to obsturct the police deal with them the same way. There are no kid gloves mentality for drug dealers or their soldiers because they have none for the police or the law.

  36. poor people governor Avatar
    poor people governor

    Scout go and dig for information Barbados is like Ja and Gt in more ways than one people need to seek God!!!
    Next thing tell me why the -police dont go and raid the houses in the heights and terraces why they dont lock up politicians they commit plenty crimes
    How do they unemployed buy guns trusting weed is sain different
    When the police saw a certain AG smoking they had kid gloves when the went in M Heights they hav kid gloves when they went around Bjerkham dem got kid gloves
    You know something about drug trade and offshore and wiretapping

  37. smooth chocolate Avatar
    smooth chocolate

    @David | January 28, 2011 at 7:11 AM |
    @smooth chocalate
    “Could it be the Pitt sisters maybe suing if the matter as witnessed is true?”

    Even if that were the case, they would have been bystanders with their cell phones, where are they? if u read the ‘witness’ report, it seems really obvious that she was not just a witness, she knew the sisters and it stands to reason then that her report is bias. i know of police beating people but i also know that they practice a modicum of decency when in large crowds and somehow it seems to me that this report is not totally correct

  38. Raymond Avatar
    Raymond

    I am pissed off that in this day and age police are using brute force on women.I am supportive of the term comply and then complain but there are times when circumstances alter cases.Whatever the senario,and if indeed the gun butting and beating did occur,the police should be held accountable.I am sure Sandy and Cherrie know at this point what to do.I hope that being photo journalists,one or the had the opportunity to capture this melee on camera.When the force needs to be commended and so they should be but now? I don’t think so!!! By the way i thought the Rea Sea Gang was now sleeping as so many of their members met untimely deaths.Ever hear de song by singing Sandra ‘Ghetto in ya mind?’ or ‘I am not afraid by’ Etana?Be comforted sistren Fitts cause ya dun know!!!!!

  39. Raymond Avatar
    Raymond

    @poor people governor
    Oh Lord now!!come out tings!!!!

  40. poor people governor Avatar
    poor people governor

    RedSea on saturdays does have out some top dogs who is who of the underground when i said to a “friend” chaa boy u see how the police do cherie pitt man reason cherie pitt do she self and now people want to say that she was drunk to put a spin on things.
    Also they stated that she did assault the officer which I DONT agree with If she was drunk well in future i suggest she don’t drink,but SHE WOULD LEARN NEXT TIME they made her an example the treatment was harsh but what is wrong with her man d men treat she real real cruel!!!!!!!!
    they should of used equal force but tell me something they had real man a badman down there dem aint give police no talk who is dem got to be CheRIE Bjerhakm u kno who i mean d “untouchables”

  41. EyeSpy Avatar
    EyeSpy

    @ Miss Observer | January 27, 2011 at 10:15 AM

    Well said! So True!! Your statement couldn’t be more clear and concise.

  42. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Isn’t one of the Pitt WOMEN (they are not girls, they are hard backed middle-aged women who should know better) the girfriend and child mother of a Red Sea drug dealer? A middle aged man (and middle age starts at 35) who has NEVER held a legitimate job in his life and who lives with his mommy in an NHC unit paid for by the taxes of those of us who have to get up out of our warm beds every cold morning and go to work?

    Maybe what was happening was not so much in defense of press freedom, but was in defense of making the way clear for drug traffickers.

    My Bajans does really make me laugh.

  43. Mash Up & Buy Back Avatar
    Mash Up & Buy Back

    If the Nation is really a responsible Corporate Citizen the would get those Pitt female photographers off the Nation’s payroll.

    Like I said before we must get ALL the facts.Those women reputation go before them and it ain’t nice.

  44. poor people governor Avatar
    poor people governor

    MASH up look how you want to use insinuation to take bread out these peoples mouth that aint decent
    my reputation also precedes me also sometimes and that is not a good thing nor sometimes correct judgement
    Nation responsible corporate citizen shite and that woman bout in the paper with all her fillings YOU SOUND LIKE A HATER I SORRY U DOES GET BUY BACK

  45. To do loo Avatar
    To do loo

    Police not angels but give me them before the drug running crime bent boys on Red Sea block or any block. Look forward to day when one can walk past Red Sea or any block without seeing gangs of unkempt, musty youth sitting and walking around aimlessly looking for trouble. This lifestyle is very bad for our country. Its unproductive and criminal. When is National Youth service coming to get drugged up young time wasters into a para military set up to learn discipline manners and broughtupcy and to think about life outside crime, robbing and gun and drug running?

  46. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Random thoughts, “those of us who have to get up out of our warm beds every cold morning and go to work?

    “cold morning”? You live in de states or Canada?

  47. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    Hants

    Cold is a relative word; to Bajans “Cold” is when the lard oil solidifies in the bottle, to us this is what cold is.

  48. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Sargeant,

    I experienced Barbados “cold” years ago down Bathesheba.

    Fortunately I was assisted in generating some body heat. lol

  49. Bajan77 Avatar
    Bajan77

    Well we now learn, in 2015, why those girls, whose lives are in the “Pitts” was so aggressive and hindering police operation in Red Sea…Ross, Ashton aka Rossi who was arrested recently, is the father of her son…

  50. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Hants January 29, 2011 at 12:21 PM #

    @Sargeant,

    I experienced Barbados “cold” years ago down Bathesheba.

    Fortunately I was assisted in generating some body heat. lol
    ………………………………………………………………………………………..
    I was laughed at some years ago, while shivering from the cold at Bathsheba. What made it so laughable, it was Winter and I had just returned on leave from West Germany. Mind you, the following Summer I got sun burnt out on the German Plains. Can’t win.

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