Commissioner rubbishes claims of police brutality

Carrette

Police Commissioner Cyril Carrette has rubbished claims by attorney Bernard Wiltshire that people in police custody are often mistreated and even brutalized on occasion.

In an interview with Dominica News Online on Monday, Wiltshire said he was “very unhappy” with the way in which the police treat ordinary people.

He said as a lawyer he was being told of such abuses “all the time” by individuals affected by the alleged mistreatment.

“I mean a lot of nonsense happens here, and oppression happens here the police constantly assault people, beat them in the police station,” Wiltshire told DNO.

“Jack them, beat them,  injure them, burst their heads.  You know there is a whole culture of impunity in the police force in Dominica and that has to stop,” the former attorney general said.

Responding to those allegations, Commission Carrette who is currently in Barbados, denied categorically that individuals detained were being mistreated.

He said there was “no brutality of persons in custody”.

The police chief added however that there were occasions when people being detained tried to resist arrest, and had to be “subdued”.
Carrette also dismissed claims by former attorney general Wiltshire that Wiltshire’s arrest late Monday in connection with an alleged passport scam was politically motivated.

“We don’t take directives from politicians,” he told DNO, explaining that investigations take time, and that Wiltshire was not the only person detained in connection with that matter.

Police Commission Carrette also brushed aside claims by Wiltshire that the police were discriminating against him because he has filed a lawsuit against the police and government for alleged wrongful arrest – he was first arrested in June 2011 in connection with the alleged passport scam, and released without being charged.

The former attorney general and three other persons appeared in court on Tuesday charged in connection with the passport scam.

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71 Comments

  1. mind of my own
    February 5, 2012

    DNO I really thought you would have made difference in allowing people to voice their opinions. I have observed that you censor comments that are non derogatory or insultive but because these comments are somewhat direct and honest. I expected that since you were a private entity you(DNO) would have done much better than DBS radio in allowing people to voice their opinions. But i now see that you are not much different. I accept the fact that foul language, direct name calling etc should be censored but I never expected comments to be censored because they are anti government in nature. I read one reader’s comment that maybe our IP address may not be safe anymore and for some reason I believe this comment. I expect journalists to be the mouth piece of the poor, the down trodden, the oppressed, the less fortunate but what do i see but censorship of honest opinion of these people. PLEASE FREE UP DE PEOPLE”S VOICE

  2. Check please!
    February 2, 2012

    DNO can be working for the government now, and they checking all your IP addresses to figure our who is saying what….. BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. toma
    February 2, 2012

    carret just joking man,he was one of those policemen who beat people so dont expect anything better from him

  4. j
    February 2, 2012

    @ boss man is junk like u dat have the country backwards

    • j
      February 2, 2012

      u just a punk boss man see if ur mouth not to close to under ur arm

  5. nancy
    February 2, 2012

    NO SURPRISE HERE MR. CARRETTE BUT YOU JOLLY WELL KNOW THAT YOUR POLICE OFFICERS BEAT PEOPLE IN THE CELLS, NOT BECAUSE THEY RESIST NO ARREST. THEY BEAT THEM BECAUSE THEY WANT THEM TO CONFESS TO A CRIME AND THAT IS WRONG. THAT IS WHY SOME PEOPLE GO TO GUADELOUPE AND HAITI TO SPOIL THOSE POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY TIRED PAY LAWYER MONEY AND WAIT FOR YEARS BEFORE THEY CAN GET SOME SATISFACTION IN THE COURT SO THEY FIGURE SPOILING THEM IS MUCH FASTER AND EASIER

    • originalstupes#1
      February 2, 2012

      HI NANCY, HOW ARE YOU, I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU PLAY WITH THE DEVEIL YOU STAND TO LOOSE YOUR SOUL. YOU SEEM NOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR COMMENT IS GLORYFYING THE WORKS OF SATAN. IF SATAN HAS SO MUCH POWER TO HELP YOU AND OTHER SPOIL POLICEMEN WHY DONT YOU ALL THEN ASK THE SAME DEVIL TO CURE ALL YOUR LIFE’S PROBLEMS. THE DEVIL WILL GRANT YOUR WISH BUT THE DEVIL WILLALSO COME TO YOU FOR HIS POUND OF FLESH YOUR SOUL. I PRAY THAT YOU FIND CHRIST. PEACE.

  6. j
    February 2, 2012

    tell carrette come possie there he will see how those unschooled police men and wemen there act they needs to go back into training and do them work all they kno is rum

    • Boss man
      February 2, 2012

      (@ J) you need to go to school and learn to spell. your pee pee bed not even in sun yet but you on DNO talking rubbish.

      • En Ba La
        February 2, 2012

        :lol: :lol: @Boss man

  7. d/can to de bone ( f
    February 2, 2012

    WE need the government to set up a POLICE COMPLAIN COMMISSION so people can take thier complains of police brutiality to same.. Dominican and Government we are in 21 century. Nothering is hidden and coverup worldwide nowadays…… it time we the pople demand that government ste up a commission…..

  8. Anonymous
    February 2, 2012

    it is necessary to beat bad people and people who deliberately break the law thus creating mayhem in the society. these criminals are terrorist and spoiling the bad name of Dominica.

    • naive
      April 8, 2012

      @Anonymous. Not because they do a crime that the police have to beat them up they are humans beings not animals to be treated that way. sometimes is not them that do the crime but how u act on the streets them police jus figure is u dat do it an wen u resist arrest the beating u. i know for a fact the it have a police officer that does dat but do worry others own in front there’s behind

  9. With my scope
    February 1, 2012

    These comments are sad. Dominicans are simply saying that the country has gone to the dogs since 1995 or should i say since 1977 if we should have a pt of reference.
    Those of us who are old enough and still possess an once of dignity can see through all this crap. Itsickens me to see so many individuals getting the opportunity to go get studiated as Paul -Keens-Douglas would say and return to manifest how much they need to learn about life honesty and basic human descency. So many professional idiots jumping from party to party just for an income.Some on 1/2 a dozen boards and to hell with everyone else.LawyersDoctors engineers stupping lower than any insect or reptile that crawls the earth.Oh what a country what a people.i often wonder what would my life have been had I not migrated 30 yrs ago!See what we have decended to.saverin now DLP-ite so are maynard Skerrit(young freedom) turn DLP leader.man who never worked in their lives have more assets than civil servant farmers who worked and sweat their souls.
    What a shame. Our leadership has been watered down to a level that can go no lower the opposition is a shame.The police are a mess nurses teachers bankers( they steal monies of citizens who work hard in foreign lands) You have a n account over 30 yrs sending funds monthly only to be told your account don’t show up. wow!What a failed state Clear water will soon leave.

  10. February 1, 2012

    Carrette,
    Man i dont know what you smoking but as Jamaicans say “patient man ride donkey”

  11. Anonymous
    February 1, 2012

    I AM SURE A CERTAIN POLICE OFFICER STATIONED IN MARIGOT FROM WOOTY CAN STILL REMEMBER THE BITE HE GOT FROM A FELLA IN MARIGOT WHEN HE TRIED TO ASSULT HIM. REMEMEBER COPEL? WHEN YOU BROKE THE BARTON ON HIM AND HE GRABBED YOU FINGER IN HIS MOUTH. DID YOU REPORT THAT TO THE COMISS.

  12. concern citizen
    February 1, 2012

    The police commissioner must talk the truth..I have first hand information whereby my sin was assaulted by robo cop and in turn said my son resisted arrest. Also the eye witnesses that where there said nothing like this ever happen. Carrette i have respect for you and as a boss i expect you to protect your employees. That a good practice but your cops should realise theyh too are citizen of the country and the constitution protects everyone equally. They are not above the law. this kind of practice must stop. When i was growing up i never once felt intimidated by police officer but today your young guy are hungry to beat people..just remember these people has families like them and they too are members of families…my word of advice treat people the way they want to be treated..

    • February 2, 2012

      Concern Citizen
      I totally agree with you. Carette knows damn well he is telling a bold face lie.

    • Anonymous
      February 2, 2012

      read the story again. IN POLICE CELL?????????

  13. lol
    February 1, 2012

    mr Carrette dat is why when police come canada they does get their thing back so u and yoe boys better not come all i can say

  14. utter Rub
    February 1, 2012

    Is Carrette the most intelligent person for the post of Police Chief? Is he the most articulate Top Police Officer? Is he the most qualified to be Chief? Is he the most respected? All Dominicans would answer all those questions in the negative. Therein lies the POLITICS in his appointment.

    Is Carrette serious about no influence by political directorate? Who have eyes to see, Let them see. Who have ears to hear, let them hear. UTTER RUBBISH.

    (1) Rubbish Bin scandal. No investigation.
    (2) Homes firebombed. Investigation stalled?
    (3) Unlicensed firearm, initially taken from owner by police and in court as evidence, taken and given back to culprit? court was forced to retrieve it.
    (4) Refusal to carry out Warrant orders of the court to arrest a certain Lawyer. What was the excuse? Am I lying DNO about those matters mentioned? I could go on and on and on.

    Put the pieces together and you all will get the BIGGER picture. Ask yourselves why, especially in those examples mentioned. No political interference? No political influence? Who you trying to fool?

  15. eee
    February 1, 2012

    Wonder when this man will call it a day, so that a little decency can be instilled into these largely illdisciplined and inept men and women.Most of the lack professionalism,commonsense,discretion and discipline. Only in Dominica we have such rubbish!

    • Anonymous
      February 1, 2012

      DON,T WORRY HE IS ON IS WAY TO NEW JERSEY HE WILL BE UTTERLY RUBBISHED :lol: HE DON,T GIVE A RATS BEHIND HE IS IN BARBAD GETTING HIS GREEN CARD TOO BAD FOR YOU GUYS

  16. we go see
    February 1, 2012

    Mr.Carrette (2) words “utter rubbish”

    • Boss man
      February 2, 2012

      i have two better ones for you (soap,water)

  17. February 1, 2012

    Carette Please come back again, I think you made a mistake.

  18. 4progress
    February 1, 2012

    Did you really expect Mr Carrette to say anything different. Provide the evidence to effect change. Call on your MP to champion your cause

  19. OH NO!!
    February 1, 2012

    There has been serious police brutality in the force. I went to court on a matter some time ago and I saw three guys that they held and they were on the stand in court. One had blood in his eyes and blisters on his face, another arm was borken and was tied with a cloth and the third had a swollen jaw. When they were bailed I inquired from them what had happened and they said that it was the policemen who bit them up for information that they did not have. So STOP LIEING!!!!

    • forreal
      February 1, 2012

      my take is,there is only one solution to that for this nonsense to stop,you go to the doctor,gather all your evidence,hire a good lawyer and sue their backsides.

      • No where to turn....
        February 2, 2012

        And when you sue, its normally civil suit since the police will not take up the matter internally and charge their own; you have to under take the matter ( nearly 8000.00) and then even with a strong case, you end up losing as the dear old presiding judges are in the governments pockets. The GOVT does not want to pay out any money. Trust me, I have been there, Sued,and lost, for assault.

  20. En Ba La
    February 1, 2012

    ADMIN WHERE IS MY POST? ADMIN ARE YOU RED TOO OR SHOULD I PUT A DISCLAIMER. kindly keep this and when I take my time type my post should I put this below it or keep it incase someone comes after you for what I post. Thank you. Still doing a good job but I had to point this out

    My disclaimer will be the views expressed in this post is NOT the views shared or expressed by ADMIN AND DNO STAFF.
    SIGNED: EN BA LA.

    • z.......
      February 1, 2012

      yeah i think the admin of DNO red cause they’re filter people comments. Dno is a great way for people to get information especially in the comments section. If people read dem comments properly they will get the facts cause dominicans like myself like to point out things.

      It have a video on youtube showing the police beating an unarmed and subdued man. I commented this morning and apparently DNO find something wrong with my post.

      Now I wishing merrick was here again so i can see all my comments posted when I click on the “post comment ” link down below.

      Censor one person and you’ve censored and entire nation. freedom of the press and expression by the way.

  21. ex police
    February 1, 2012

    come on Carette we all know better, excess unnecessary force is well know in the police force, why was Bertrand suspended, and so many ppl can attest to it, dominican policemen are know for that both local n foreign

  22. .
    February 1, 2012

    MR Carrette what is the latest re Sico/Seco?

  23. ....................
    February 1, 2012

    Did Mr Carrette said that they do not take directives from politicians? OMG! This police force or even better this political force is constantly being manipulated by politicians. We live in Dominica and we know it. This is the prime reason why it has become such a failed force which the public has no respect for neither do the public cooperated with them.
    It is a political force with a large percentage of members drawn in by parliamentary representatives. Most are semi illiterates and without respect. THEY DO THE BIDDING OF JUST ONE MAN.
    GO ASK GON EMMANUEL!

  24. goat mout
    February 1, 2012

    Well said Mr.Carrette!some people think they can resist arrest fight the police and get away with it.If you try to resist arrest the police must try to subdue you.guess we must resist arrest fight the police and expect everything to be ok…gosh!!

  25. February 1, 2012

    Dominica is in the hands of an other pj 1979 is back again and this other pj is 39 years old . where is mamo and dady ragan kkk is back again . wat are we going to do now i am are frade. by d way how much money Dominica have for petro carib and china how and when are we going to pay dem back. usa and d eu vex with d mother land leader cuz he have iran dear too . alba will soon take us enba.

  26. Aye Dominique
    February 1, 2012

    Sometimes I feel sorry for some so called professionals…really, this is a dang shame

  27. Tati
    February 1, 2012

    It comes down to Command and Control in all police departments all over the world by the High Command. The fact the commissioner says that there no is no police brutality says some thing much less about him and his style as the commanding officer. He could have said that brutality and mistreatment by members of the force are not tolerated or condoned. His response shows the lack of leadership that force has and desperately needs.…….and by extension Dominica political leadership.

  28. by stander
    February 1, 2012

    DNO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY COMMENT AND WHY DIDN’T YOU PUT IT UP???? I THOUGHT YOU PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UNBIAS

    • by stander
      February 1, 2012

      SCRATCH THAT DNO THAT LAST COMMENT WAS NOT INTENDED FOR THIS STORY…MY BAD!!!!

  29. Domerican
    February 1, 2012

    Mr. Carrette, for your information some officers also harrass people unprovoked on the streets. I witnessed it in (Dierre-la-Rosin) Possie one night, while a friend and I were taking a walk. Two officers cruising around in the police vehicle saw this young man going home. The young man was carrying a part of a vehicle. The officers willfully stopped and came out of their vehicle and started questioning and pushing the guy around. When they noticed that my friend and I had stopped and was looking at them, one of the officers told the guy, “padna take your ting and leave.” The officer then shouted to the guy we know where to come and look if any body comes to report that part of their car missing. The young man who is a mechanic by the way, was on his way home from work.

  30. Dcan
    February 1, 2012

    What a load of rubbish Carrette I cannot believe you coming on DNO and say that your Police officers don’t beat people in you cells? well let me tell you Mr Carrette even if someone resist arrest that don’t give your officers the right to beat the hell out of that person..
    I think you need to educate your officers about protect and serve

  31. Product TV Tea
    February 1, 2012

    Carrette for the first time you spoke the truth – the police takes orders from the ANTHONY GENERAL office or should I say chambers.

  32. Anonymous
    February 1, 2012

    I mean this is such a lie, that nothing else this man will ever say will ever hold water. This is an utter lie and he and ever single Dominican out there knows it. I can understand he says that such incidents are very few and far in between blah blah blah but to say it does not happen is ridiculous. I am an attorney and I know it happens. Why do judges throw out confessions ?????? Because a lot of times they were made under duress…….in other words the accused persons were beaten. In a lot of cases the police have no idea how to investigate, they just beat and threaten to get a confession and feel to themself, “YES I HAVE A CASE”. This has to change.

  33. PC Damage
    February 1, 2012

    CARICOM nationals working as police officers in Montserrat are alledgedly being investigated for physical harm done to a man (deemed by locals as police brutality).

    Subsequently, the Governor (Queen’s Rep. on island) has requested the the assistance of the Cayman Islands and Bermuda police forces to investigate the matter (so as to prevent bias). The police officers are alledgedly from Dominica and Guyana.

    How sad is that? Wow! Be humane and treat people with respect.

  34. February 1, 2012

    Carrette, come again, man in the 70s i worked construction building the police headquarters in roseau

    I have to say that since then i hate police, i witness too many people being beat up an kicked by police officers, while working on the building, hearing people screaming and crying in the cell, and the sad thing about it is that if there are seven officers on duty each and every one of the take turns in the beating sir DA is a small island and you and i know for a fact that this is still happening and even far worst that in the 70s

  35. possie
    February 1, 2012

    Anytime one of them interfere with me or my family i not going to no lawyer, i going straight HAITI, i making ants walk in thier belly as the lady from possie did in the late nineties…….. is their neck i sending dem an brake

    • Boss man
      February 2, 2012

      go and fix yourself first u doe seeing you need to fix and save the money for you to buy soap and toothpaste.

  36. DPM
    February 1, 2012

    Alas Carrette, better you had stayed quiet on this one. Everybody in DA knows that the police brutalize people in their custody. It has happened to my cousin. If a man is already in police lock up, why the need to beat him up, huh? Mr. Carrette, you think your officers will ever admit to this? From now on the hospital should keep records of any body who comes in for treatment after being beaten up by police, until then Carrette will continue to deny, deny, deny.

  37. D/can to de Bone(for
    February 1, 2012

    It happens in Dominica. Their is seriour police brutialty behind closed doors, the Police are very heavy handed . It happens in plubic also.

    People must video the police once they can and show it to the whole world.

    Where is the police complains commission, the minister of national security needs to take note..

    They the police will always denied until they are caught on cctv or video.

  38. ME R
    February 1, 2012

    WHAT A GREAT BIG LIE IN THE FACE OF THE PUBLIC, WHEN EVERYONE KNOWS THAT SOME POLICEMEN ARE REAL,REAL CRIMINALS, LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN GRENADA FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OVER THE CARIBBEAN AND THE WORLD.

    • d/can to de bone ( f
      February 2, 2012

      good example

  39. CIA on the watch
    February 1, 2012

    A police complaint bureau would be one way to prove your point Mr. Commissioner, too often we hear of police brutality and those affected get no redress throught the court system, i am not sure how honest your response to Mr Wiltshire are Mr. Commissioner, given the fact that your officers are shooting defenseless persons in public, ie convent prep incident and officers are verbally tageting persons who they dont like, pl a police complaint bureau could resolve and reduce all these problems/allegations of police brutality

  40. proud dominican
    February 1, 2012

    During the cricket season at the stadium in Dominica. a police office push me and ruff me up and shouting at me go back, go back, i could not go back because people were at my back. I was in the line to purchase my cricket ticket. i came to Dominica just to see cricket.
    He started to get on, so what is that. o by the way am a woman and it was a male police officer, who works at the task force department. when i made my inquiries.
    so what do u commissioner make of that. These officers have to remmember , what goes around , comes around.
    this was not good mannerism at all. remmember it was cricket , so where are the police officers role in tourism building?

  41. Lougaoo Mem
    February 1, 2012

    Lies, lies, and more lies from those who should represent in the highest order of our institutions. No human can perfectly control the tongue. (James 3:2) Remember that your speech is actually a window into the inner person, revealing who you really are. It was Jesus who said: “Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt.12:34). Therefore, I plead to all those in high offices of our government, to analyze their speeches closely, because your words can come right back to haunt you as in many cases in the past.

  42. A kiss for admin
    February 1, 2012

    Yeah Right!!!

  43. Just sayin'
    February 1, 2012

    Utterrubbish…HAHAHAHAHAHAH Dominica big joke!

  44. Tenderloin
    February 1, 2012

    LMAO!! Carrette you should have just tell them, “1 word: UTTERRUBBISH!!

  45. peter lafond
    February 1, 2012

    i would say the same old man i have been bitten by this miserable police un educated cops they need to go to hell corrupted too.

    • Anonymous
      February 1, 2012

      PETER WHERE DEY BITE YOU LOLLLLLLLLLLLL, :-P

      • Coolpipe
        February 2, 2012

        Like a fish. the little finger on the right oh!oh!oh!

    • Boss man
      February 2, 2012

      you too like man peter

      • Coolpipe
        February 2, 2012

        Peter in de group of extra males in the census? lol!A Tarzan man without woman is called Tarzan.DA now have 1000 plus Taranzs and DA have enough forest for them.

  46. Anonymous
    February 1, 2012

    Mr. Carrette as a friend of the police,I know for a fact that police do sometimes brutalize persons in their custody

    your explanation suggest that the police force is perfect, i beg to difur.

    • peter lafond
      February 1, 2012

      dough matter what they do,they get away with it.the trick is that we are the big looser in that,you take a lawyer you pay money that go in their pocket and no compensation so he will always defend their corner.police is there to protect the public, but in Dominica and some other island, the are the criminals.tell you that.

    • Marcel
      February 1, 2012

      Is not now police beating up people in cell. The policemen even have a term they use among themselves for this type of physical abuse. They call it “fatigue”.

    • February 1, 2012

      Whenever someone is taken into custody,and place in that cell at the headquarters they are being beat up by police officers as a former police officer i am ashamed of what i did, we started working the forces together, in the days of Evander Joseph, Mastervielle Joseph, Blanchard to name a few this was rampage beating, kicking and brutalizing persons in the cell to confess, and this Sir is still happening so you should be ashamed of yourself saying that there is no such thing as police brutalizing people, shame on you sir

  47. Original Eagle Eye
    February 1, 2012

    …”We don’t take directives from politicians”… really MR Carrette since when. Everybody went to school on sunday

    • Papa Dom
      February 1, 2012

      The man is right. The police do not take directives from politicians only from the lawyers of politicians. So that when those lawyers tell them to visit the owner of the chronicle they do. When they are told to find out who Josh Shure is attempt to do just that. When they are told not to investigate they don’t and when they are told to charge the leaders 0f the UWP b those lawyers(SC) they do.

    • notnice
      February 1, 2012

      lmao, “everybody go to school on sunday”

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