Clouden calls for protocol to govern Police Officers

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Parent Category: Jan 2012

Category: Week end Jan 7th, 2012

Published on Sunday, 08 January 2012 23:54

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One of Grenada’s most vocal attorneys, Anselm Clouden is urging the Tillman Thomas Government to establish a protocol that will serve to guide members of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) who have detainees in their custody.

Clouden was at the time addressing members of the media on Tuesday at his law office, GRENLAW Chambers on Lucas Street, St. George’s in the wake of the Oscar Bartholomew death while in police custody.

According to the attorney, a system needs to be put in place as is done in other Commonwealth Countries such as Australia, Canada and England, where a Commission of Inquiry will be conducted in instances where persons in police custody are allegedly beaten. Five Police Officers are now facing a charge of manslaughter with the crime.

A seasoned criminal attorney, Clouden who is representing two of the five accused police officers, Police Constable 237 Ruddy Felix who was the diarist at the time, and Rural Constable Wendell Sylvester described the Boxing Day incident as being tragic.

“There is no excuse or justification for it,” he quipped.

However, Clouden said that having regard to the fact that this country needs to continue to enjoy a healthy bilateral diplomatic relations with Canada, the incident is unfortunate since in the recent past Canada imposed a visa restriction on Grenada.

“This incident calls for further appeasement”, he noted, adding that a Canadian/Caribbean Jurist should be appointed to look at the incident so that both countries would feel secured in the belief that there would be an impartial inquiry into the incident.

The city barrister suggested that coming out of that inquiry should be a protocol that police can use in their training, and in the conduct of their duty so as to avoid further brutality against persons whom they are required to protect.

Clouden feared that if the conduct of police officers is not “arrested” there would be similar occurrences.

As one of the defense attorneys representing two of the accused police officers Clouden said he is required to extend to his clients the protection of the law.

“Every accused person is entitled to be represented by a lawyer, and I have accepted the brief to represent them,” he added.

Clouden believes that being a member of the defense team it would aid in the discharge of the rule of law and the presumption of innocence.

He said having complained of what he thinks is in the interest of the State to do, does not mean that he condones what has been done.

“It means that I am, as a defense attorney, required by law to ensure that those who are accused of offenses have the right, as enshrined in the Constitution, to be represented by counsel,” he remarked.

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