LET’S TALK!
by TIM SLINGER
Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE Darwin Dottin says he’s willing to meet with the Rastafarian community to discuss any problems the group might be facing.
But he wants them and Barbados alike to know that the Royal Barbados Police Force does not engage in singling out any particular group, regardless of race, colour or creed.
“I want to state categorically that the Police Force does not enforce the law by targeting any groups. We carry out our duties without fear or favour and with sensitivity,” Dottin told the SUNDAY SUN yesterday.
He was reacting to charges from the Rastafarian community that dreadlocked I’Akobi Maloney met his death through police profiling.
On Friday, Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris in ruling that the 23-year-old Barbados Exhibition winner’s death was by misadventure, urged the force to look closely at its relationship with the Rastafarian community, saying there was a high level of mistrust.
To this end, Dottin said the force was willing to meet with the community to discuss any issues of concern.
“We are willing to engage with any group in the society. We are the Police Force of Barbados and all communities.
“If there is a level of mistrust between the force and any community we should take steps to address the matter,” he said.
Dottin said the force had refrained from publicly commenting about the Maloney case since it would have been disrespectful to the judicial process.
“Now the hearing and the matter is completed it demonstrates the strength of our judicial system. We know and appreciate we are accountable for our actions but there are instances when we are concerned about the reaction to some of these issues,” he said.
The police chief also spoke about the extended public discussion on the Maloney case and expressed gratitude to the Coroner for identifying with the mistrust which developed as a result.
He also commended the two police officers who were in the case for their “resilience and quiet dignity” throughout the inquest.
Meanwhile, attorney-at-law David Comissiong who along with attorney Andrew Pilgrim represented the Maloney family said yesterday that despite the misadventure verdict there were many unanswered questions left behind.
“The coroner made a finding that he died trying to escape from the police and the menace that the police would have represented to him, but for me there are many unanswered questions,” he said.
Secretary of the I’Akobi Maloney Justice Committee, Ras KudosSage, said a full and lawful recognition of the Rastafarian faith must be endorsed by the Government if there was to be mutual respect between them and the police.
Maloney was at Land Lock, St Lucy, on June 17, last year after resigning from his job at the Arawak Cement Plant, when he was confronted by police who had received reports of possible drug activity in the area.
Police reported that while taking Maloney into custody for further questioning, he suddenly made a dash and jumped to his death.
Tags: Andrew Pilgrim, Arawak Cement Plant, Commissioner of Police, Coroner, Darwin Dottin, David Comissiong, Faith Marshall-Harris, Justice Committee, misadventure, police profiling, Ras KudosSage I, Rastafari community, Rastafari profiling, Royal Barbados Police Force
December 5th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
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