The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade vowed yesterday “not to side step” on a situation that saw a man in custody at Central Police Station marry his fiancée.

As he expressed high hopes that the investigation file would be on his desk by the end of yesterday, Mr Greenslade said interest in the matter among Royal Bahamas Police Force executives were still very much alive. 

While social media has been busy with speculation of the penalty enforced on the four police officers who facilitated the wedding, the Commissioner denied that any resignations have come from the results of the probe which was undertaken more than two weeks ago.

It was reported on social media site Facebook that a high ranking police officer was forced to quit his job for his role in the union. 

“There is not much to update on right now except that the matter is very much alive and the investigation file will be on my desk, I suspect by the end of today (Tuesday),” said the Commissioner.

“No one has resigned in this regard and I am still very disturbed by it. Therefore, I will not side step on this matter. I will be in a better position to comment more on it tomorrow (today).”

More than two weeks ago on Friday, March 7, Kendrick Tinker, was arrested in connection with the seizure of 50 pounds of marijuana. The next day, he was allowed to marry his fiancée at the station after his family were unable to have him released on police bail.

On the Monday that followed, Mr Greenslade announced during a press conference that not only were the four officers who allowed the wedding to take place put on administrative leave, but they were facing internal charges and possible dismissal.

Tinker, 35, was charged in Magistrate’s Court with possession of forged currency; possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply; and conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Branding the incident as “dastardly”, Mr Greenslade told reporters that it breached the RBPF’s policies and procedures.

At the time he said: “No one in their right mind anywhere on the planet would recognise that there could be any semblance of order to having a person incarcerated, whose liberties by law properly have been taken from them, to be taken out of a police force cell and be allowed to consummate some marriage ceremony in a police station. That is a disgrace to the Bahamas, to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and everything good and decent that we stand for.”

Mr Greenslade said it was out of order and should never have happened.

Central Station’s Assistant Superintendent, Corporal, and two Constables were the subjects of the investigations.