The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander outlined steps during a national address last night that the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the government will undertake to boost the public’s trust in the force after a US federal indictment exposed corruption.

He said the new measures will include introducing an anonymous whistleblower platform, mandatory annual integrity testing for senior officers, and a publicly published list of shortlisted recruits.

He revealed plans to request increased funding from the Ministry of National Security to expand anti-corruption investigations.

His address came after a US South District of New York indictment claimed that these people provided critical assistance to drug traffickers smuggling tons of cocaine through The Bahamas into the United States.

The indictment listed charges against 11 Bahamians, including the officer-in-charge of aviation, Chief Superintendent Elvis Curtis and Defence Force Chief Petty Officer Darren Roker.

Commissioner Fernander revealed that police have not yet received a request to arrest the other people mentioned in the indictment.

“Also, we have not been given the names of any additional police or government officials who may be under suspicion and, as far as I know, no one else in country has been given the names of any individual or individuals referenced to the indictment,” he said.

He presented “a framework to rebuild” the police force, saying the plan is rooted in accountability, action, and transparency.

He proposed the immediate implementation of an encrypted, anonymous whistleblower platform.

He said this would strengthen the existing protections for whistleblowers and allow officers and citizens to report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation.

He also proposes mandatory financial disclosures for ranks at chief superintendent and above.

“Any individual who has departmental responsibility should be subject to ‘unexplained wealth orders’, he said. “The public deserves to know that those at the top of this organisation are beyond reproach.”

As for recruits, he admitted that character references provided by members of the public were sometimes untrue in the past.

“Moving forward, I propose publishing the names of shortlisted recruits in the newspaper for public feedback during a 30-day review period,” he said. “This will allow citizens to raise concerns confidentially about any individual’s character or past behaviour. We want to know if someone in your community is unfit to wear this uniform.” 

“Every credible concern will be investigated. Recruits will also face enhanced screenings to ensure only individuals of the highest integrity join this force.”

He proposed that long-serving members of the force undergo mandatory annual ethics training.

“Every officer, from the most junior to the most senior, will be reminded that serving the Bahamian people with integrity is not optional — it’s the bare minimum,” he said. “Finally, we will create independent oversight channels where external bodies can review misconduct reports to ensure transparency. No report will be swept under the rug.”

Commissioner Fernander said on November 26, while travelling with his family in Florida, he received a call from RBPF aircraft captain ASP Foster Rolle, informing him that CSP Curtis had been arrested overnight and was scheduled to be arraigned in Federal Court.

He said he then contacted CSP Harris Cash, the police liaison officer attached to the Bahamas Consulate in Miami, who confirmed that CSP Curtis was in custody and outlined the charges he faced.

The commissioner said he later met Chief Supt Curtis’ wife at the courthouse and did not speak to CSP Curtis.

“This moment was not just shocking — it was devastating,” he said. “It cut to the core of the trust that the Royal Bahamas Police Force is meant to represent.”

He said he has already spoken with former Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle, who served from March 2020 to July 2022, and intends to contact former Commissioner Anthony Ferguson, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and former National Security Minister Marvin Dames.

He said at no time during his tenure did any international partner raise concerns about the activities outlined in the US indictment. 

“I have reviewed my meetings with agencies such as the FBI, US Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the US Drug Enforcement Agency, and the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, as well as with the US Charge d’Affaires,” he said.

“As recently as October 2024, none of these interactions highlighted suspicions about the individuals or activities now under investigation.”

He said the culture of corruption that has “infiltrated” the police force did not happen overnight. 

“But from today, we will redouble our efforts to stamp it out,” he said. “Dealing with police wrongdoing is complex and will require both a new legislative framework and operational changes.” 

He claimed the example of his forced vacation leave in 2019 helps the public “understand how we have arrived at this point”.

He said the political directorate reduced the size of the force’s senior leadership and transferred a number of experienced officers outside of the organisation.