Police Officers claim they were not shown version of Police Act before HoA
This Bill seeks to repeal and replace the Police Act (Revised Edition 2013) and to make provision for matters including the Powers, Duties and Privileges of Police Officers; Police Bail and Breaches and Police Property.
Speaking to Virgin Islands News Online on condition of anonymity, many police officers noted that while they were involved and discussed the original draft of the Police Act, after they made some recommendations no one came back to them as a group to say what was adopted in the Bill from the police officers.
The version that had its first reading in the HoA on Thursday, February 2, 2023, after being brought to the House by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), has raised red flags throughout the country, even from many local police officers.
One officer who saw the Bill in its current form said many of the items the police officers discussed seem to have never made it to the current Bill before the HoA, especially in areas of remuneration.
Police State being pushed?
Many have argued that the current Police Act 2023 before the HoA strips residents of their liberties and human rights and is geared to turn the Territory into a Police and communist-like state.
The current Bill allows the police to take fingerprints, foot impressions and DNA without someone’s consent and without a warrant.
The same Bill allows the police, even UK Officers, to search residents’ dwellings without a search warrant, access communications between lawyer and client and allows the Police Commissioner to implement a cordon whenever he or she sees fit.
The controversial Bill also allows the police to alter the right to silence, and allows the courts to draw negative inferences from a person exercising their right to silence. Currently, no negative inferences can be drawn from a person wishing to remain silent.
Trouble in police force; Blacks vs White; police state started?
Meanwhile, there is growing tension between the Police Welfare Association and Police Commissioner Mark Collins. It is our understanding that some members of the organisation are being victimised for speaking out on the alleged injustices going on in the police force against officers and there is upcoming legal action against Commissioner Collins’ alleged disregard for promotion procedures and policies.
There is also tension between the UK Police Officers and locals.
Many see the over 25 UK Officers who are here as having a main mission to harass locals and allegedly to trump up charges against targeted residents, in line with the Governor’s agenda. He noted, “they are here for revenge so look out…”
The UK police officers (most often white) are reportedly making more money than long-standing senior police officers, treated better, given all the resources (high price car rentals and new vehicles) they need and have the power to override local police officers, most often blacks, with higher ranks in the force, according to police sources.
Our news centre is doing our own investigations on these allegations and will bring another story with testimonies from current police officers, residents who have experienced abuse from UK officers and others who have alleged bogus charges trumped up against them by the UK police officers.
Bill available for review
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office on February 7, 2023, notified the public that the Bill entitled, Police Act, 2023 is now available for review on the Virgin Islands Official Gazette website at https://eservices.gov.vg/gazette/.
It said the Bill was published in an extraordinary issue of the Gazette No. 13 dated February 3, 2023.
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30 Responses to “Police Officers claim they were not shown version of Police Act before HoA”
They.......... are damn RACIST. What you going to do.
under the united kingdom police regime murder and gun crime is moving forward and what steps are being taken to deal with this situation
it is black on black crime therefore the scotland yard attachments not overly concerned, just another negro bites the dust
if the head of police was from road town all manner of talk show host will chatting: play the tape and you will discover under fraser or malone our community did not have such intense crimes
my goodness killing in this place now happens before sunset and you don’t even see a police road block
Black Man settle your differences with a good bottle of cane rum: u guys causing your parents far to much pain
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/national/serving-met-police-officer-charged-with-rape/ar-AA17ijuw?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=23e4e9f833bc4e31b4c1a46908f09590
You mean he is the most corrupt police commissioner we have had?
Foods For Thought: bellow
A tree is only known by the fruit it bears.
The locking of horns can lead to the downfall of a Country's people, if they lack love, knowledge, wisdom, and strength.
Those that love peace, will hastily seek the same.
There is no upside to eroding our long held rights to be decently treated and respect the privacy & property of citizens and that includes respecting their BIOMETRIC DATA
We have no idea how technology will evolve to abuse our DNA or even our finger prints.
Get rid of these abuses they want to sneak in for goodness sake!
This I know for sure, if we don't confront this topic issue wisely, the UK will turn up the heat politically against, and neither the UN, neither the Organization Of Eastern Caribbean States, and the opinion of other Countries will be able to force the UK to change its mind, if the UK choose not to change their mind of what the UK wants.
Note: A soft answer many times causes oppresses to change their mind. In every war, the stronger do prevail over the weaker.
There is no wrong colour.
There is no wrong County, good and bad things continue happening non stop.
There is no wrong day, but people do wrong everyday.
But, there are wrong policies, and there are wrong responses to confronting wrong policies.
Everyone can become a leader, if followed by others.
Everyone has not the God given ability to advised others, much less to lead them in the pathway of freedom.
Everyone has the right to be free, even from self ambitious, that cause others great pain, even death some of the time.
IN TORTOLA. They want to invade and take over prepare and protect yourself. UNITED KINGDOM THey take your phones and pepper spray you. Don’t be fooled. You have to work together. So many young brothers locked away without bail. With no rights no ability to have a say. They want to imprison the whole island. They live in poverty and come to our beautiful island and don’t understand how we live so much in peace and locally wealthy. They want to kick down our doors and arrest us when they can’t even protect our families from the terrors. Keeping the beaches private and personal privileges for the friends with helicopters and private jets and private islands. No customs nor law enforcement for the island owners that have Millions with no back ground checks.