Submitted by John Bergan
Mr Commissioner I would like to compliment the officers of the Royal Barbados Police Force for swiftly apprehending those two criminals charged with the shooting of the visitors. I do hope however that we will be able to secure a conviction as the record of achieving this has not been to promising in the recent pass.
This situation to the incompetent people you have consistently place in position over the years. It is not much different with those Bertie Hinds also has recommended for promotion in your absence. It seems that the two of you were both playing friends first. I can only say that both of you have systematically destroyed the organisation.
Take for example Sgt 734 Spooner who has been in this position for about 20 years he is used religiously every year to manage all of the stations in the Southern Division irrespective of the volume of work. It is known that former ACP E Moore when he was the officer in charge of that Division exhibited full confidence in Mr Spooner. This is to the point where he rejected Station Sergeants who were recommended to manage Oistins in preference to Mr Spooner and yet still Mr Spooner is persistently over looked.
Now Mr Hinds when he had the opportunity to make recommendations also overlooked Mr Spooner and recommended S/Sgt Deane his driver. We all know that you knew full well that Mr Deane has limited experience and in your efforts to show him up you intended to transfer him to District A. It was only after opposition from your management team that you sent him to District C the second hardest station in the island to manage. Incidentally that is where the PM, AG, Min of Transport and a few other MPs reside.
One would have expect that apart from the persons mentioned residing in that police district with the large volume of crime that you should have had enough common sense to provide that area with good prudent management. No you sent Mr Beane who has probably amassed the most sick leave in the Police Force as a S/Sgt. His sick leave was more regular than his salary payments which are monthly.
Tell me something Mr Commissioner, why is it that you are now pulling the old constable tricks of taking sick leave when certain demands are being made of you. Is it that you have finally accepted that you should still be in the constable rank?
While I have commended the efforts of those who arrested the two robbers, I must asked this question, why is it that we can only get speedy results when there seems to be public pressure. How could these two men have committed so many offences and remained at large to shoot the tourist, to be then apprehended in less than a week?
The people of this country need to ask questions: how could it be that some much evidence could be gained in respect of 53 crimes in a week. I will submit that the police are not motivated to work. I do believe that the evidence was there all the time but no effort was being put into stopping those fellas. Secondly, the situation with the Campus Trend that information was available in respect of those murders, one of whom had fire bomb his former boss car and nothing was done. It has been rumoured that the information used to finally arrest them was available from the Chicken Galore Bank Hall case.
It is therefore an embarrassment to the organisation and you as a manager that six lives had to be loss and two tourist shot before we feel motivated to act. It all comes back to poor management. You should know Mr Commissioner that you have an incompetent ACP in the person of Mr Cumberbatch. I will take you back to the management conference you held at District A Band House a few years ago for the rank of S/Sgt and up, in spite of the multiplicity of problems to be discussed the only contribution that he could have made was to tell you that he has informants that told him who said that they were glad when Barbados Underground published a story that you were being moved. I would have said THANK YOU Mr Cumberbatch but i would prefer if you could use those talents in cultivating informants in the wider context of Barbados to solve the crimes we were having.
Now to the highlights of your poor management and the supervisors you put in place. Is it not true that Sgt Sandra Dottin, your cousin, has the record for the most dismissals of cases based on the non-production of files. Including serious matters such as rape? Mr Commissioner would you be kind enough to produce statistics as to the amount of criminal matter that were dismissed before the courts due to none production of case files. The primary reason being that the quality control officer i.e. the supervisors and station managers cannot properly guide those responsible for the investigations on evidence and what is required. Well, the evidence shows that if Sgt Dottin herself is having her matters dismissed then she cannot guide others if she cannot guide herself.
There lies your problem promoting the wrong persons for the wrong reasons. We have persons in our midst that could not raise a promotion for between 10 -15 years who have a proven track record of good management skills and working ability. A few examples, Sgt 1104 Goddard Sgt 132 Carter, Sgt 975 P Gill, Sgt 676 Seale (who you personally asked to return to the CID to help build it back) Sgt 914 Lynch, Sgt 858 Reid, Sgt 842 Moore, Sgt 1117 Babb, Sgt Griffith on of the best Court Prosecutors we had, a Sergeant for almost 23 years, Sgt 62 Burnett former speed cop, detective, administrative assistant, managed the Research and Development Unit now an attorney -al -law, has masters in legal drafting and still struggling as a Sergeant in that rank for 20years S/Sgt Cossey the list can go on. Then we are wondering why such poor service.
The limers are being promoted, ASP Maxwell who all he can contribute is to talk at meetings that he do not have old cloths. He was run from District A as the Sergeant i/c of the CID Unit for incompetence by the then Deputy Mr Blades only to be promoted a year later. What is this really. No but you thought it prudent to continually promote the mini Commissioner Inspector Wiltshire who continue to work in the same area from time he was a constable no additional responsibility for the additional pay.
Is it not true that persons were identified as the best Sergeants a few years ago to represent the Force at Profile Caribbean to create a template to identify the type of traits to look for in candidates for the force and also to use as a gauge to promote persons from Sgt to S/Sgt yet still four promotions has passed those identified as the best. No wonder things has to reach crisis proportions before the fellas feel the need to react.
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