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Munroe working on legislation to create force inspectorate

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe. Photo: Austin Fernander

MINISTER of National Security Wayne Munroe. Photo: Austin Fernander

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe said government is presently working on legislation to allow for a force inspectorate for all security forces in The Bahamas, saying its job will be to do audit checks of the organisations, among other things.

“Currently, we’re working on legislation for a force inspectorate for all of the security forces,” the minister told reporters before heading to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

“The force inspectorate would be somebody who would do audit checks of organisations to seek to help the head of the organisation understand what structural weaknesses may be.

“When you get to be commissioner, commodore, commissioner of corrections, director of immigration, it is often useful to have an independent person come and have a look. We are now considering that body to potentially be like in Jamaica, that can investigate also fully the matters of serious complaints.”

His comments came amid continued public outcry over alleged police brutality in the country.

Several videos have circulated online in recent months, showing purported law enforcement officers hitting civilians.

Yesterday, Mr Munroe said there are bad apples in every agency and stressed that this is why it’s so important for the public to file complaints on incidents of concern involving the police.

He was also clear that being a police officer will not stop a person from being prosecuted if they break the law.

“You have the Complaints and Corruption Branch, and they have a cohort of inquiry for subordinate officers, contracted officers and if you don’t get satisfaction there, there’s a Police Complaints Inspectorate based in the Ministry of National Security which is civilian to whom you may complain if you say the system is not working properly,” he also said.

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