The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Thompson yesterday called for the political parties in the country to “get together” and formulate a “wholesale approach” to dealing with crime in the country.

Mr Thompson made his comments in an interview with The Tribune yesterday.

His statements come after a Royal Bahamas Defence Force officer was killed during a nightclub shooting on Sunday morning, one of two men killed in separate shootings over the weekend.

Mr Thompson’s comments also came after National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage told The Tribune last week that government and law enforcement had “failed” in attempts to bring down the murder count from the previous year.

Dr Nottage added that he took “no comfort” in the fact that serious crimes were down across the board while murders went up for 2014. The category also saw a sharp increase in 2014 compared to the year before.

“I feel that first, all of the political parties should get together and discuss crime and as to what they each think could be done, so it could be a new approach, a wholesale approach by government and opposition,” Mr Thompson said. “We’re not getting the parties together. Political parties, all of them, should get together in a forum and discuss what their views are, and see what can be done other than what the police are doing.”

Mr Thompson also defended Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade for standing by his recent comments that he did all within his power in terms of disciplinary action for the officers responsible for last year’s “jailhouse wedding.”

Last week Tuesday, Mr Greenslade said he remained distressed by the matter, adding that if he had the “authority to dispense justice” in the situation he would have done so already.

“The commissioner cannot fire gazetted officers,” Mr Thompson said. “That part of discipline goes between the Police Service Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Cabinet and the governor general. That’s the law.

“All the commissioner has to do is present the facts to them and his recommendation. So I think those people who are harsh on him for not doing something about the wedding should know now that it’s not him. The media should make it clear that it’s not the commissioner.”