In recent times, there have been allegations by some members of the public that police in Dominica conduct illegal searches. However, in clearing the air, Acting Chief of Police Lincoln Corbette told reporters during a press conference this week that these accusations are untrue.
“The police do not conduct any illegal searches, none whatsoever,” he said. “ When we conduct searches at your house, we have a warrant.”
Corbette continued, “When they stop you in your streets, because we have information that suggests that you may have a weapon or drugs or some other illegal thing happening.”
According to Corbette, no selective searches are done by the police.
In fact, he said, “We searched and arrested our own, so we are not doing any selective searches.”
He explained that based on the information and intelligence that the police have, searches are conducted with warrants, “or information.” He continued: ” In case of a motor vehicle, we can stop you and search you.”
“But as I said, we do not conduct any illegal or unlawful searches on anybody,” he reiterated. “ A search has been conducted on your house, you want to see the copy of the warrant. We have it.”
“We show it to you at your house. We cannot give it to you to read…but we have it,” Corbette explained.
Meanwhile, Minister for National Security Rayburn Blackmoore said under written law, the police have the authority, based on suspicion, reasonable cause, to arrest and to search.
“The police, under certain circumstances, can enter your home if the police [are] in immediate pursuit of a felon and that person runs under your bed, the police has a right to run under your bed and extract that person and arrest that person without a warrant,” he explained. “ If the police [are] walking and [hear] somebody screaming for help, the police have a right to go to your home and investigate and to arrest [you] without a warrant.”
Furthermore, Blackmore stated that under the Firearms Act, the police have a right to stop and search people with reasonable suspicion or cause.
“The Drug Prevention Act, so too. Section 7 of the Constitution provides protection to your privacy. But of course, the same Constitution and Section 3, I believe, give the police the authority to arrest you on suspicion for three days before taking you before the court, and to release you,” he noted.
Blackmoore admonished the public, “We cannot have our cake and eat it.”
“We want safer streets, we have to give something and allow the police with reasonable cause, and respect [to] human decency, to do their work,’ he remarked. “That’s got to be fundamentally clear.”
As Minister for National Security entrusted by the Prime Minister, Blackmoore said he will do anything to protect the public’s interest and to ensure that Dominica remains the safest place in the Caribbean–as it is now.
“So we are going to need an encompassing effort, not only the police and the Prime Minister, but all of us…,’ he encouraged. “Dominica belongs to all of us, so let us do what is right to protect this country.”
He added, “My advice to you, if the police says that they have information that you’re carrying something illicit, cooperate with the police and avoid the embarrassment. Because the police has the authority to act in defense of the public peace and public interest.”
I think it’s a crime to be dunce, and dumb you know: practically, everyone makes mistakes in spelling, nevertheless, some people are so dumb when their spelling is outrageous, they emphasize their lack of educational knowledge by by capitalizing words that are not even equivalent!
So, should the word be “police WEAK?” Or should it be “police week?”
I doh know, ah want somebody to tell me oui!
The way Blackmoore answered the Caption that’s how I want to hear the COP answered within the law. Just to add on what Blackmoore said there is something we also called Consent Search, where the police seek your permission to search without a warrant as well, but we all know it is rear, only a good Samaritan will give such consent, but just naming those avenues for searches. When it comes to consent search anyone of the police officers can just quickly make a note in their pocket book and invite the person to sign to be on the safe side.
Not a lover of the Manicou Gang maskerading as a police force but Chief Corbette is right. Poupou-you is also right is explaining the police authority to searches. Thats nothing new. However my issue is who and why they search. We have Blocks in Roseau and New Town now and thats where the police needs to start focusing their searches. Hit them from morning to night in every nook and cranny.
If you do that and people feel safe again they will not be focused on the minor inconveniences. You all have a detailed list of all “alleged” seals and snipers plus the famous Rouges Gallery in CID. Use that and search to hell and back. STOP doing useless searches just to impress. Bring back the good old CID days of Aple, Andre, Laudat, Duke, Weekes, Cooke, Theft Act, Julie Austrie and the likes. Chastise the criminal minded rouges and vagabonds and leave law abiding citizens alone. STOP political victimization. Then the police will be respected and aided in return
Lincoln, for you to claim that police in Dominica don’t conduct illegal searches, is an over exaggerated and false notion, based on your perception of the term illegal! Because a police show up at one’s place of residence with some bogus search warrant, signed by a corrupted bogus puppet DA, under the direction of a corrupt politician doesn’t make the search legal.
As many times as the homes of the UWP members were searched and arrested under false and bogus allegations: what would you term that to be?
Watch this: an arrest warrant was issued, the speaker of the house was arrested along with other members of the opposition, Lennox Linton, Fountain, and Lugay, prosecuted for over eight years, all besides Isaac who turned, bow, and kiss Roosevelt sick rusty behind!
If the search and arrest weren’t targeted, how come Isaac walked free given a job while the others were falsely prosecuted?
Boy, Lincoln: shut up, stop making a fool of yourself!
It’s embarrassing to be a puppet.
Garson FET you make sense except in Dca we don’t have DA (District Attorney)
. We have DPP who has no authority to sign search warrants 
. Also, unlike some US states where DAs are elected, the DPP is appointed by the government.
Also, Magistrates, Judges, Justice of the Peace signs warrants. In limited situations such as when in search of firearms on what we call “hot” information a senior police officer (Superintendent and above??) though not frequently practiced, can sign a search warrant. So, you have been lectured my boy at no cost to you or the tax payers.
Well, in reality the DPP in Dominica, does the same thing as a DA in the American system of justice you know!
In any event, if a chicken live among Goats for a considerable amount of time, that chicken might just begin behaving like a goat.
Hahahahahaha!
Indeed I know in the Dominica judiciary they don’t utilize the term DA, nevertheless, the chicken may have heard that term so frequently, it slipped out of the unconscious mind of the chicken accidentally!
Anyway good thing you understand what I intended.
So maybe the reason why the police not searching or arresting top political ministers is because it’s illegal to search them . But no one has more drug traffickers and illegal weapons working for them in the dark than those top people that those police protecting
Unfortunately Corbette this CDPF has been such a POLITICAL tool, i don’t know whether i should disagree with those who are bawling about selective searches, neither would i be surprised, because i live in Dominica, and i know how the police perform their duties..
Its a broken CDPF with very poor top leadership.
MEME
I am totally against selective searches,I believe those who say searches are selectivesay it not because they care but because they are supporters of UWP.In a nutshell UWP supporters say the police only search UWP supporters.Mr.Corbette tell those who say and believe that Go To Hell,and stop crying.According to MEME police WEAK
That is the point of view of a very foolish person; one who never set a single foot into a kindergarten classroom.
Anyway God takes care of infants and fools.
I know three from Wesley who graduated in Kindergarten, one later immigrated to England: I don’t know how he did it, but even prior to leaving Wesley, he saw a guy from Trinidad: Rex Harrison doing a bicycle balancing act: Ola was his name, this can’t read or write, Wesley boy went to England; how he did it I can’t explain, but Ola ended up with a Television show in England, doing his bicycle balancing act!
That’s all the work I know he ever did in England.
By the way he was brother to the late Mona George Dill!
So, God do take care of infants and fools!
That is the point of view of a very foolish person; one who never set a single foot into a kindergarten classroom.
Anyway God takes care of infants and fools.
I know three from Wesley who graduated in Kindergarten, one later immigrated to England: I don’t know how he did it, but even prior to leaving Wesley, he saw a guy from Trinidad: Rex Harrison doing a bicycle balancing act: Ola was his name, this can’t read or write, Wesley boy went to England; how he did it I can’t explain, but Ola ended up with a Television show in England, doing his bicycle balancing act!
That’s all the work I know he ever did in England.
By the way he was brother to the late Mona George Dill!
So, God do take care of infants and fools!
You know; I wish whoever this labour power clown or Linclown to tell me which is the appropriate word that could be appropriately used in a sentence.
“ police WEAK” or “police weak?
You see I Francisco is wan dunce you know, I doh can talk English, so I want de doctor or professor of education fu tell me!