Dear Editor,
I would like to express utter disgust with the unprofessional, selfish, and lackadaisical attitude of a police officer (name given) who was on duty at the Turkeyen Police Station on December 26.
I went to the above station at 18:30 hrs on that day to inform the police of a matter in B Field Sophia where there was a feud between two gentlemen. Upon my arrival at the station three ranks in uniform were present, one at the gate talking to a young lady, the other on the telephone and the third behind the counter. The officer on the phone enquired what my problem was and I related it to him. He was adamant that I should give him more information on the matter although that was not available to me, and I left the scene.
His words were that if I could not give the police more information then they could not move. This was after I had informed him of the address where the incident was transpiring and had even offered to transport them to the scene.
This policeman’s attitude forced me to immediately place a call to a the Commander of C Division, and to travel first to East La Penitence Police Station then to the Brickdam Police Station looking for assistance. Am I to conclude that the Turkeyen officer was insinuating by his actions that I should have stayed at the scene and waited until everything was finished, including a possible murder, and then make a report to the police?
I do not wish to shy away from the fact that there may have been a shortage of vehicles for the police to move at the time of my report, but I offered to transport them to scene. To add to the unprofessionalism I experienced, I returned with the assailant at 20.00 hrs; there I saw two police patrol vehicles in the police compound getting ready to move to the scene. The big flaw was, however, that they were heading to the wrong address. I had told them B Field Sophia and they had instructions to go to C Field Sophia.
The Turkeyen officer’s unprofessionalism towards members of the public goes beyond those who walk into the station and includes those making calls to the station. His unprofessionalism must be imbedded in him since I experienced his rude attitude when answering the station phone on the morning of December 27. I immediately brought that to the attention of the station sergeant who promised to address the issue.
I express much thanks to the C.Division Commander for his proactive approach which saw a rank coming all the way from Cove and John to sort out a matter at the Turkeyen Police Station.
Yours faithfully,
Leroy Smith
