Commissioner of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith has reminded citizens that there are mechanisms in place to seek redress should any member of the public feel aggrieved by the actions of members of the Police Service.
Griffith made the statement on the heels of allegations made by Sea Lots community leader Cedric “Burkie” Burke about the conduct of officers during a raid.
In a Guardian Media article yesterday, Burke appealed to police officers to respect women’s privacy, as he claimed officers acted inappropriately to his daughters during raids at his two homes last Friday. Burke claimed that his four teenage daughters pleaded with the male officers who entered their rooms to allow them to get properly dressed before they carried out their searches. However, Burke alleged the officers refused and the girls were left exposed. Burke said the incident had left his daughters traumatised.
Yesterday, Griffith said he has not seen a police report on allegations made by Burke. He also advised that “whilst it is the enshrined right for all citizens to seek redress, it is also the enshrined right for all citizens to enjoy their fundamental rights of safety and security.”
“Since my inception as CoP, I have never shirked my responsibility to ensure any errant officer brought to my attention is investigated with the appropriate action taken. Likewise, it is the duty of the men and women of the TTPS to act in the appropriate manner to stymie the onslaught of gang-related violence. Anyone who may feel aggrieved by this has the right to seek redress through the appropriate channels,” Griffith said.
Griffith said while he continues to treat with all reported matters of alleged abuse, he implores all stakeholders to also appreciate the lives and accounts of those directly impacted by the spate of crime and the men and women of the TTPS who present themselves each day to treat with same.
The Police Complaints Authority would be the body to investigate such a claim if Burke eventually decides to file such a complaint.
