Police Spokesman and Chief Police Prosecutor Inspector Claude Weekes has spoken against police brutality and has urged officers and other law enforcement personnel to execute their duties in accordance with the laws of the land.
In recent times, there have been increased reports of police brutality in the media. Weekes said that though he is against brutality-in any form, persons must note that it is also a two way process.
“ I would not support the police or the police organization to exercise its function above its limit. We’ve got to understand we must only use necessary force in the circumstances,” he said.
“What we have to remember, is if the police is going to effect an arrest and the accused is cooperating and he’s not resisting, there is no need to beat him, there’s not need to touch him. As a matter of fact, the best way to effect an arrest if it’s possible to do so, is quietly so that no one even knows if the person on the street is being arrested,” he said.
He added, “Like I said, there are those who would resist authority and the law gives the police or the law enforcement agency to exercise force as the circumstances would dictate of course, in the necessary way. It must not be above board. It must be justified in the court of law it ought not to be frivolously done or seek to abuse people and disrespect people. We will say respectfully that it has to be mutual, because the police ought not to be in conflict with the public. The public ought not to be in conflict with the police.”
Weekes said that the law is clear with respect to the amount a force an officer should use on any individual in given circumstances.
“Time and time again, there is the chorus being sung by the public, that the police is abusing their authority. We ought not to abuse our authority. The law is clear with respect to force. Force can only be used when the situation dictates it and it must be necessary force. Or force that ought to be really used at the minimum, but of course it depends on what is on the ground and you must not use force exceedingly,” he said. .
“During the exercise of our functions there will be times that a certain level , and I use the word, certain level of force, would be used as the situation dictates but we ought not to abuse people whether physically, whether psychologically, or not,” he stated.
He said that while police are paid to ensure the safety of the citizenry, the police themselves are part of society.
He added, “You would also understand equally that there are persons especially the younger folks, who blatantly and flippantly disregard the authority namely the police and other institutions that carry authority and when the police or those other institutions and law enforcement agencies would execute their function and the level of force would be used within the parameters of the law then it is perceived that the police or the law enforcement agencies are being brutal.”
Weekes all I can say is remember the police officers Thomas ( masitoe)who was shut at Grand Bay over 50 years ago and the young police from Good Will who was shut over 30 years ago close to the harbor …well Mr Weekes ,up till this day no one was held responsible for the deaths.I know they were both someones child ,nonetheless they acted like masters of of Dominica.Someone call only go as far as they can ,but they can be stopped some way some how.Months aback a male inspector presented himself to me but the police woman who questioned me never presented herself.I have no idea who she is ,I have never seen her before either…the matter was concerning a land problem where the neighbor bypassed the borne and steal from my parents land.But in as much as the inspector “visits ” this woman nor and then;he looked at me as the aggressor when I was in my right to talk for my parents property.Police officers in Dominica very corrupted especially the men.
There is no “BUT” when it comes to police brutality. Police brutality is totally unacceptable, period.
Like the chief said it is a two way street, it dont seem that way at all. For years the police have been brutalizing man.Rasta man,I believe the police have to maintain law and order in the country, but there are some that abuse that power.There should be a board set up to investigate bad cops, that is one reason why the public is so reluctant in giving out information to the police.The government and the police need all the help they can get from public.Remember we are all dominicans we need each other. Let freedom reign. Peace….
get ID numbers for all the young officers without so that we can report them when they do wrong.
and u must get an ID to so others can report u when u do wrong
dont u see that their number is on their shoulders?
weeks, months or years whoever you are stop playing pingpong with the govt and people. mr weeks you are a good man but stop playing games with what you think is an invisible zigzag. this country is too small and too weak. many years ago you would not dear to talk against police brutality some policemen would have asked you to zip it or have it zipped for you. too many thugs roaming and they need to be weeped. i mean weeped. so weeks whatever game you playing just pause your tape.
well thats so nice of you inspector to change the whole story of police brutality as your sorry excuse,like you are the good guys.cry me a river,somebody please give him a hug for me i thinks he wants to cry.you want to know what i think inspector,i’ve seen police brutality all my life.two of my family members have been apprehended by your so called police officers ,abused them cause they didn’t know their rights like a lot of dominicans.for all the humiliation that the political partys have put the country through like fraud,money laundering and forgery……….you bastards didn’t have the balls to arrest none of them but you guys only have strength on the poor man.now you want to stress about laws of the land,what law?all i see is a bunch of doing what they feel like when they feel like including those in parliament.there is no justice,d/ca is becoming jamaica
First of all, these police boys that are in this police force needs to show respect to the general public. The way they approach civilians is like, they the police are above the law.
I have/had family members who are/ were Officers and from hearing them talk was a very different story from the way you Mr Weeks wants to portray your police boys.
Some of these police thinks we have no rights and they can do what it is they choose to us, that is why most times we protest and brutality results.
Time to take them to proper training and human relations.
And this brutality thing,,,ahh boy, that will never stop. For example that person/persons who ‘bombed’ Cpl George’s house…when they are caught,,,i well sorry for them.
Brutality doesn’t always take place when a police tries to make an arrest. Tell us what happens in the dark room at CID and when you all take a culprit for a drive while you all are dressed in camouflage in the night.
Tell is what? Just from the way you talk seems like you have no respect for the police officer who you refer as the “police boys”. It starts from right in some of u’ll homes then hits the streetss. People like you, yeah a person can tell have that stupid ignorant mentality about the police…. GALEE!!!!
That’s what they behave like, boys, not men; therefore that what they are referred to as.
Thank you for judging me and calling me all the names your parents chose for you. I am very sure you are a junior,,,carrying your father’s name. carry on you mr/mrs perfect.
It’s time people like you take the message and digest it instead of trying to crucify the messenger.
Well just too bad for youuuuu!! Yeah I will indeed hold up the title proundly too as mentioned before A True Dominican POLICEMAN WIFE. tAlk about keeping country backwards it people like you that have it going the way it is harbouring all you criminals, them police have to bow or come so humble. Well my dear that’s why they are being trained differently and even given guns and batons to walk with… !!!
As said spread ur idiot talk on the blocks, educate ur self on ur country acts and laws then come spit shit don’t come crying out about police brutality. More than have who gets their @$$3$ bust look for it.
you ar so rigth
T.dot u sure u in the right place? i am sure u support this brutality maybe YOUR a police officer and feel defensive.. but the truth of the matter is factual that the police officers do feel like they are gods!! invincible to do what they plz!.. no one said dont use force if someone is being negligent.. but this simple matters tht can be resolved by conversing??? they prefer beat up the person.. stupes. you people just wicked! until it happen to you you T.dot will talk like that. when you in the cell and they beatin u up with the big book to ans their questions and they know you wont speak without your lawyer what do you call that ?..ppl like you that hv this country backwards. supporting the negativity! police officers needs to respects civilians rights and civilians need to respect police officers.. not bow down to them !!
1st of all the police are in place to enforce the law not to take it into there own hand, and the problem in dominica is that we enforce the law to whom we want to… This is where it starts from!,………. HYPOCRITE !
@ Looking in from the outside: I know exactly what you mean. The Police officers them self brag about what they can and can’t do to you. @ T.Dot/Dca…You can have respect for the Police and the law and still it like it is. Some of my class mates are good Police Officers and Dominica in general have good Police officers but like everything else, there are always a few bad apples that will try to spoil the entire bag. Officer Weeks needs to work on getting rid of those few bad apples because they exists and if DNO will allow it I would publish then names of the ones I know for a fact. Unlike most DNO readers, I do do my research before I comment.
Say what all hou what but most of the ones that get brutalize look for it they have no respect for the cops. Yeah seeing that you do so much research find out how much an ole criminal complies when he’s brought in. Then talk about people like me have country backward… Is people like u’ll that hind so much shit in society talk so much bull that when u’ll heroes are being sorted out in the mix of you’ll they still come in the stations playing super bad and superman and even heroes too when the real heroes catch them. So I for one will ALWAYS stand and stay in my rightful place as the wife of A TRUE DOMINICAN lawabidding cop wife.
Go try preaching to the socalled Herod of u’ll societies that u’ll help to keep the country down with… and again I will ask on here how many Police Officers do hear gets killed each year in dominica? So keep on hatching u’ll old rotten eggs!!!!!
MR. ALICK GAGE IS SIXTY FIVE YEARS OLD , THE POLICE ENTERED HIS HOME ILLEGALY,HE ASKED FOR A WARRANT AND THEY BEAT HIM UP,IS MR. WEEKES TELLING US THE POLICE IS RIGHT.
thank you…. the law is not enforced this is the problem in dominica, and we as a people need to educate ourselves, stand for our right and take legal actions….RUBISH!!
Yes, Chief Police Prosecutor, Inspector Claude Weekes and recipient of the SAT award as the most influential person of 2010. Would you please explain why you are speaking out now on the subject of police brutality? Do you remember that there was a case of alleged police brutality at Grandbay in 2010 and in an interview on August 17th 2010 you said that there would be a thorough police investigation into this matter and that a full report would be made to the public “within five to seven days” You also said “the office of the police commissioner will honour its commitment in the highest degree”. Today is the 2nd of February 2011 and we have not heard from you about the result of the police investigation of this matter. Please honour the vow you made on August 17th 2010 or tell the public why you are unable to keep your promise. You can rest assured that we have not forgotten this promise that you made. Were you just trying to quell the public outcry, hoping that the public will soon forget about it? As you can plainly see, the public has not forgotten. Please post a reply to the public for your failure to keep your sworn promise, that “THE OFFICE OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER WILL HONOUR ITS COMMITMENT IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE” The public demands and deserves an early reply on this matter.
also the lady that was alledgely brutalised by robo cop until her locks were forcefully pulled out from her head……we need answers Mr. P.R.O………..pray tell us, we are awaiting yr response.
Well said Weeks. I am very proud to be your excourse mate. People have to understand that if you comply with the police while executing their duties there wil be no need for force.The police need to gain back that level of respect we use to have.
Don’t forget sometimes they execute those duties without any warrants. I know of several instances where they just burst into people’s homes at 5 o’clock in the morning and turn people house upside down WITHOUT WARRANTS and even then they tell you to shut up.
Now that this is out i wish to comment
I belive that the entire police force should undergo an intenstive course in Physchology, mainly geared towards dealing with persons from all walks of life.
The basic training given at morne bruce is outdated, ( in the time of mr. burnabe, hope this is not the case today)
Police officers should not only undergo physical training but pyschological training as well, and to a further extent training in social behaviour, after all they are dealing with human beings.
most times the police get themselves involved in conflic with the public just because these officers do not know how to deal with people,. they intimidate the public with their uniforms and this gives them power,
now instead to use calm and uthoritative language to subdue somone they use their power as officers of the law, to subject the public to embarrassment. ( even a suspected criminal in the US is treated with respect, he or she is called by Mr this, or mis this)
I think that if they (police officers)undergo a series of training in human behaviour they will better understand how to deal with the public in the future thus avoiding any further embarassment for both the public and the officers of the law.
The police officers need the public as much as the public needs them. as was mentioned in the article, it is a two way process
First you have to fire Carette
i totally agree or send him to patrol the pre schools………….
Everyone applying to join the police force should also be given a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether or not they are mentally fit to execute the duties involved in that profession.
Mr.Weekes you are on par…you sound like a police chief.
i am support u pam. i believe a poll should be carried out on DNO
True that Weekes. I agree
Now this is the quality of public relationship and discourse that need to be coming from the Police in general. Mr Weekes I hope that this level of communication can be passed on to our police officers who are very rude and unprofessional. I do acknowledge though that our people in general or culturally are rude and disrespectful. Take a look at the level of interaction on this web site. I had an experience on my visit to Dominica and it involved a police officer who I asked to help with a traffic problem and his response was a shocker.
Mr. Weeks, what became of the investigation you were conducting about the Police who beat up that young lady? You were supposed to give us and update Seven days later and it’s now months later. Is the Investigation still going? I’m aware that the case against against her have been re-scheduled from January 17th to the end of Feburary. Are you’ll going to keep re-sechedule? The Officer and the lady have lives they need to get back to you know.
this is what we call integrity in Public Office
Weekes for PM
well said bro