Attorney General Dale Marshall announced plans to strengthen the independent Police Complaints Authority through new legislation granting it greater powers and improving how complaints against law enforcement officers are handled.
Marshall disclosed on Friday that even though the PCA – in place since 2006 – has done “a tremendous amount of valuable work in being the interface between the public and the police service”, there is a need for an overhaul to better deal with public complaints.
“I can say to you, though, that I am currently engaged in a review of the legislation that set up the Police Complaints Authority; and only on Monday, I met with the chairman and a few members of the Police Complaints Authority, a small delegation and the supporting staff, to look in detail at a new direction,” Marshall told Barbados TODAY after a special sitting of the Supreme Court to admit some 34 new attorneys to the bar.
“The act has been in place now for 20 years; and at this point in time, we need to review it and see if there are things that we can change. There are other models across the region, certainly Jamaica and Trinidad. We are going to be looking to see how they deal with the question of police complaints.”
He said that while there are complaints against the police, the “vast majority” of cases that go to the PCA are minor ones.
The AG explained: “There is also an Office of Professional Responsibility within the Police Service that is available to individuals. Some individuals choose not to apply to the Police Complaints Authority; they go instead directly to the Office of Professional Responsibility. But we recognise that we need to streamline, and we need to give the authority more power to be able to deal with matters. So, I can say that there is a review of the legislation that has just begun.”
The pending changes to the PCA follow the police fatal shooting of Stefan Akobi Branch, in which some residents of Cave Hill raised concerns about how the incident was handled.
At the time, Wilfred Abrahams, the acting attorney general, had promised a transparent and thorough investigation into the shooting death of Branch.
Branch, 30, of Castries Road, was shot last month during a joint police and Barbados Defence Force patrol in Cave Hill. According to the Barbados Police Service, officers encountered a man acting suspiciously and attempted to stop him. He allegedly fled, drew a firearm during the pursuit, and engaged the officers before being shot. A firearm was reportedly recovered at the scene.
Paramedics responded but Branch was pronounced dead on the scene by a medical doctor.
The incident has stirred frustration among some residents, who believe Branch may have been unjustly targeted.
Abrahams said the investigation would be conducted with “exceptional care”, integrity, and procedural rigour.
“Where shootings involve the police, then there’s another element to the investigation,” he said. “But the investigation is going to be fully transparent and thorough, and the public is going to be advised as to the findings.”
Abrahams said senior police officials were aware of the public’s concerns and are committed to maintaining trust through clear communication.
“Particularly where the police are involved, there’s exceptional care to dot Is and cross Ts to maintain the integrity of the investigation, to maintain the faith in the procedures of the Barbados Police Service,” he added.
The primary functions of the Police Complaints Authority are to monitor investigations by the Police Service of any complaint to ensure that the investigation is conducted impartially. It is also expected to supervise investigations of complaints or other matters in accordance with section 7 of the PCA Act.
The authority is also empowered to undertake direct investigations of complaints where it thinks necessary. (EJ)
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