Chief Prosecutor and Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Claude Weekes has called on Dominicans to respect young police officers.
Weekes made the comment at the Roseau Magistrate’s court today while prosecuting a matter against Octave Anthony. Anthony has been remanded for battery, resisting arrest and threatening a police officer on January 23, 2010.
The prosecutor insisted that cases where police officers are attacked should be taken very seriously. He said respect is important now since there are a number of newly-recruited officers patrolling the streets with the aim of enforcing the laws of the land. He said many persons have the tendency to disrespect these young law enforcers.
“Young police officers need to be respected,” Weekes asserted.
Anthony had requested that he be granted bail on his own recognizance since he had no one to stand bail for him. However, that request was denied by Magistrate Ossie Lewis who said that the decision would be revisited in the future.
According to Weekes, releasing the defendant on self bail would be sending the wrong message to persons who tend to make violent attacks on officers.
Anthony was also charged for refusing to give his name when lawfully required to do so, and threatening Constable B Julien stating, “I must lash you.” Anthony had pleaded not guilty to the charges last week.
His trial has been adjourned until July 22, 2010.
@ Mastergamer: Should the entire Dominican public disrespect ALL police officers just because of an isolated incident with YOUR girlfriend and ONE other police officer?
WHAT ABOUT POLICE OFFICER THAT HARASSING CIVILANS? I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND THAT MAKE A REPORT AGAINST A POLICE WOMAN CAUSE SHE WAS CALLING HER PHONE MAKING THREATS. SHE MAKE A REPORT THEY SAY THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT A WEEK LATER SHE MAKE ANOTHER REPORT UP TO NOW NOTHING CAN BE DONE…
AND YOU EXPECT PPL TO HELP AND RESPECT POLICE SCREW THAT!!
I am appalled by the number of comments I see here refuting the call by a senior personnel for the respect of officers. Is it that we dislike authority this much? Parents don’t discipline their kids at home and when the teachers at school try to do so, these same parents are outraged. These kids grow up and when the police attempt to enforce the required disciplinary actions, the public is still outraged. Where are we going with this? Is that nation building?
My brother and friend Weekes , You are highly respected by me and many many others- You are indeed a rolle model but I think many officers need to take a que from you so they can earn the public’s respect. I personally witnessed an officer -Not even a new officer ..manhandling a young man for no obvious reason- I was right there- that is what i refer to as ABUSE OF POWER- that cannot be right.
I really think you need to caution your officers- The law has to be upheld but it can be done on a more “friendlier ” note
Most of them squad boys, have that gangster mentality, he would have to be spending a night at the PMH…
MR. WEEKS YOU ARE A PERSON I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR, I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO INTIL YOU CAUSE ME TO LOSE THAT RESPECT FOR YOU, I WANT YOU TO START TO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW IS THE PUBLIC GOING TO RESPECT YOUNG OFFICERS WHEN THE SENIOR ONES ARE THE CAUSE OF IT.
THH HEAD OF THE HOUSE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN ORDER SO THE SMALLER SECTION WILL FOLLOW YOUR FOOT STEPS
Law enforcement must earn the respect of public to be respected.
Oh hush up Ian.
I love what Swat & Shuffle said. These criminals looking to kill police these days. When they misbehave or disrespect all you then they should get a lil ROUGH UP. PMH right away.
Where I live a police was shot, and up to now nobody cannot say who do it. But I know if that was in DA, hmm hmm, somebody would have pay for that eh. Wey boi.
I remember when the Officers used to have the place well hot, and trust me, fellas used to behave thereself eh. Because when you hear so and so outside there with his squad, you better humble yourself.
Respect to you Sir!!!
SWAT what’s wrong with you? You are very angry. People like you when they become Police officers are reponsible for the ill relationship between community and police. You sound very stupid I must tell you. I hope and pray you never become an officer–you would fail the phycological test.
YOU WILL GET RESPECT WHEN YOU GIVE IT’!!
u making an issue of when is mankind but when is police there is no issue
excuse u steve, we are not a lawless land u want to see lawlessness u must travel oversees to nearby countries adn u will get lawlessness.
so dnt coem here with ur ignorant self saying dca is lawless…some people are just arrogant and like acting stupid, they liek attention and for reasons such as they misbehave or try to disrespect police..but there police who just becuase of thier position disrepect people, therefor peter paying for paul..
to get respect u need to earn respect simple…
I do and will respect the police. However when the officers come giving me disrespect then they not expecting me to respect them weather young officers or old officers…. like the saying goes respect people and they WILL respect you…. so officers do your job and do it well and you all will not get problems with the public.
SWAT I LIKE UYOUR COMMENT. OUR PEOPLE BELIVE THEY CAN DISRESPECT THESE OFFICERS AT ANY TIME AND ALL U HATE THEM POPO SO MUCH BUT AS SOON AS ALL U HAVE A PROBLEM ALLU CALLING THEM AND IF TEHY DO COME ALL U VEX AND CUSING.IS ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE ALL U NO IS MR OFFICER SIR? TAKE THE POPOS FROM OFF THE STREET AND LET ME SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL U. ALL U DO WANT TO SHOW THE OFFICERS RESPECT BECAUSE EVEYTHING U SEE ON TV ALL U WANT TO FOLLOW NO WONDER THEY SAY DOMINICANS ARE LIKE CRABS AND FAMI WAYCHAN. WELL RESPECT TO THE MAX TO OUR YOUNG AND OLD POPO OFICERS I LOVE U GUYS WORK HARD TO KEEP DA SAFE AND AS SWAT SAID WHEN THESE FOOLS SHOW DESRESPECT AND TRY TO RESIST ARREST BE SURE TO DETAIN THEM WITH DEADLY FORCE BE SURE THAT U SEND THEM PMH TO KOOL OUT AND THINK ON RESISTANCE
To the young police officers whom should be respected, and admired for the invaluable contribution they are about to make to their country I say:
Don’t sweat the small stuff…let marijuana burn, it heals the nation.
Look where hard drugs has taken D/a, simply because the OLD methods employed by the older heads of being totally preoccupied persecuting D/a people for a little marijuana , while crack and coke slide right past them; has put the island in the crime ridden situation it is in today. You all want to avoid the domino effect of going down that road again, ring in a new era for the future of your island! Please.
Mr Weeks as your schoolmate i have respect for you and a small number others like you. However many of your officers, some young and others not so young are suffering from ” uniform” drunkeness. They hide behind the uniform to do mischief. Granted we are living in difficult times but your officers need training in the dealing with people in a proffessional manner. You served in mahaut and you were well respected by ALL, because you approached people in a proffessional manner.
You guys are jus full of ..!Sometimes all you does take advantage of those recruits.You passing by and so many things the dominican public does tell those officers,the favourite being all you looking for money?Some of u guys need ticket cuz all u jus drivin with xpired lisence,bald head tires all kinda … does go down on dat road!
I think what the police are asking for is not so much respect but rather “submission”. They want people to be “UNDER” them so they can treat them any which way they like. Disputes or misunderstandings can be handled by both parties in a very civil manner. But in many cases the officers treat everyone they stop as a criminal and their positions as “police officer” get to their heads and as some said they think they are above the law and over-react.
On the flip side, i do agree that some people tend to be fiesty when first stopped by an officer and over-react for no reason. So attitude on both ends has a lot to do with it. So both parties must change their attitudes towards each other. I am all for respect for those in authority, but even “authority” has bondaries and the officers ought to know their boundaries. They sometimes go too far.
So respect is due on both ends. It is a sad situation, though.
Each party has very important roles to play in society and society depends on that.
The land needs reformation.
Just my penny haypney
@ Mr Johnson, you may be able to beat one police but be prepared for what may come next when more officers arrive on the scene. Both your parents would be ashamed and hurt to know you beat a police officer and had to be sent to the Hospital because of you resisting arrest and having to be apprehended with appropriate force.
As a citezen of my country, mr weekes i live in the same community with u and am telling u most times i see wat the new officers are doing . i know without the law officers it would be chios in dominica but thats not telling them to do the things they are doing it is bad . some times last year some nenw officers were patroling the street and they held a young man wen he saw them coming he threw it away any way they got it and arrested him wen his mom went to the police station to bring him some food u know wat they told her she cannot see him which i find thats pure rubbish he did not steal nor kill and they did not let her see him and people who rape kill and steal the are treating them better .
wat am trying to tell u mr weekes yes we have to respect the officers but at the same time we deserve respect from them too . thats why wen things happen u find the public is playing hard to give out any information to them cause they dont treat them good .
I just dont get it! What have we come too in todays world? As a young man growing up respect for authority was a must! regardless of how big or small recruit or not. It was instilled in me that respect ” is not something you put on,or take off like a shirt. Is either one have respect for authority or one does not. When i became a police officer and during our training we were taught that our main function as police officers is to Protect life and property and to carryout our duties without fear or favor and that`s exactly what we did. Today! in this so called different world i cannot fadom the fact that police officers have to beg to be respected that could not happen in my days. I will try to keep my emotions in check therefore enough on that topic, however i would like to call upon my fellow police officers to maintain that sprit of brother hood maintain that closeness do not wash the dirty laundry in public in fact like it of not the chain is as strong as its weakest link. Understand that some members of the public look at the division, the infighting and the politics that goes on within the force and therefore they seemingly take that as a sign of weakness in the force hense some use that to test the officers will and fortitude. maintained that mirror image officers are known for. Remember if you look slack, ack like a slicker thats thats exactly how those law breakers will treat you. Good luck to our new recruits. What happened to the saying that the worst thing to do is to break the law in the presence of a recruit? That`s your opportunity to shape your carrer stand up and be counted and let the bad guys know there`s a new sherrif in town. I`ll be watching.
Let the police do their jobs. Respect goes both ways. Not all policemen are dirty or stupid or rum drinkers. Give the men their respect.
Many young men join the force to put licks on people with impunity.
I agree with you 1000% Mr. Weekes. However, when the police force get out of its old mentality and start arming officers 24/7 a lot of the disrespect will go away. These thugs know they can get a weapon in a minute to harm these young officers while these officers have to call police HQ for help. One may argue that officers should not depend on a weapon to gain respect but unfortunately that is the only language our criminals understand. A loaded gun ready to spit fire if needed. Train and arm our officers so when they come out packing criminals will humble. And if they dont, bweelay them. In these trying times I still don’t understand why our officers are not armed 24/7. Always remember that that law abiding citizens love the police, but criminals and would be criminals will always hate.
Mr. Johnson…some citizen are classical nuisances!!!!Most of them are ……………… wholes. the police is after God. when some gets sick. what do they said?Oh GOd called the police.
Let us be realistic. many persons despise the police for no reason whatsoever. as a result, they see ALL police officers as their worst enemy. the police officers are there to help us. without them there would be CHAOS, CHAOS and MORE CHAOS. WE NEED TO HUMBLE OURSELVES WHEN BEING APPROACHED BY THESE OFFICERS. TWO WRONGS CAN’T MAKE A RIGHT.
To the police officers, i want you all to ‘EARN YOUR RESPECT”. Teeth will bite tongue now and then but they continue to live in harmony in the mouth. LET US ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY.
if I ever become a police officer I dare ANY one of you to try to resist arrest or assault me. As a police officer I would have a right to detain any one of you who think you’re above the law with deadly force and by deadly I mean Princess Margeret Hospital deadly.
Don’t worry, there’s some new officers who won’t stand for it and don’t be suprised if you get rocked on the hot pavement and then frisked and dragged to the HQ for trying that.
No police never put their hand on me, my mother or my father. well let me just say my family. but if anyone of dem try dat! i sorry mr weeks but dat is d worst u will come across in Dominica. …. trust me and i mean it. dou tye up d seen. respect people and all u will gain.
I MUST SAY THE PPL FROM D/CA DISLIKE THE POLICE EH!
I LOKE THE COMMENTS THOUGH
Mr.Weekes I have to let you know RESPECT is something one earns it’s not something that is given so your police force will have to work very hard to obtain the respect from the DOMINICA N Community..
Mr. Weekes and please let them know to leave the police van by the police station when they’re not using it for official police business. The other day I saw two of them sitting in my neighbour’s shop drinking beers while the police van was parked outside the shop.
All Police officers must learn to respect the citizens of this country and must not place themselves above the law. Respect is a two-way street, many Police officers young and old tend to view themselves as being above the law and therefore treat citizens in a very disrespectful way. I am very much in favour of law officers being respected and it should not be because of their age or rank. At the same time we must remember that we gain respect when we respect ourselves and show respect to others.
YES TOP COP SAME GOES TO THE POLICE EDUCATE YOUR OFFICERS THAT THEY SHOULD RESPECT PEOPLE AND KEEP THEIR HANDS ON THEIR SIDES,POLICE OFICERS IN DOMINICA BELEAVE THEY ARE JUDGE AND JURY AND THINK THEY CAN RAISE THERE HANDS ON ANYONE. SUCH CASES SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BUT WHEN IS POILCE THAT HIT PEOPLE IT CAN NEVER BE PROVEN
Please also ask the young officers to respect people as well. While visiting home last summer my friend and I stood watching two of them in Portsmouth one night harrassing my brother. They were patrolling on the police van willfully stopped him and started asking him where he was going. Thank God my friend and I were coming down the same street and happened to see everything. If we were not there who knows what would have happened. We know they have a history of telling lies to cover their tails. ASK THEM TO RESPECT PEOPLE TOO.
Mr. Weekes with all due respect, some of them are public nuisances!!!!!
I am happy for the recruits and their presence on our streets but kamem, theses youngsters just want to write you a ticket for ANYTHING!!!
Classical scenario, I was driving coming into town on a Saturday afternoon just by the People’s Park in a line of traffic. Apparently, the diversion sign which the officers normally put when there is a tourist ship on the Bayfront was removed and drivers did not realize that. Therefore an officer (recruit) was making drivers reverse from the lane by La Robe Creole Snackette and having pass on the Bayfront. After waiting for 15 minutes for my turn, the recruit has the gull to stop me and ask me about my rims!!!!!!!! Well you can just imagine what I said to him and then drove off :-)
.. how can the citizens espeically the youth who doesnt know better respect the officers> MR weeks to you i have a great level of respect for but sir you need to realise thats the continution of a lawless land.