ASP Jones removed from St. David’s Police Station

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Parent Category: Jan 2012

Category: Week end Jan 7th, 2012

Published on Monday, 09 January 2012 07:47

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A major shakeup has taken place at the St. David’s Police Station at Petite Esperance. This was announced by Commissioner of Police, Willan Thompson at a press conference held at Police Headquarters on Fort George last week Thursday.

The major casualty of the shakeup is the removal of Head of the Station, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anthony Jones.

Although Commissioner Thompson was reluctant in disclosing the new location of Jones who served as a bodyguard to former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell up until the July 8, 2008 General Elections, The New Today Newspaper has been reliably informed that the senior policeman is now based at the Victoria Police Station.

An ASP who operated at the Grenville Police Station has been sent to take charge of the St. David’s Police Station.

Accompanied at the press conference by the top echelon of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) that includes Deputy Commissioner Franklyn Redhead, Assistant Commissioners Dowlin Bartholomew and Smith Roberts, and Superintendents Edvin Martin and Dunbar Belfon who moderated the press conference, Commissioner Thompson said that an undisclosed number of police officers will be transferred from the station.

The shakeup at the St. David’s Police Station is largely due to the alleged beating of Grenadian-born resident Oscar Peter Bartholomew at the hands of some police officers on Boxing Day.

Bartholomew who sustained injuries to the head subsequently died the following day at the St. George’s General Hospital.

The Canadian resident was taken into custody by police officers at the St. David’s Police Station after he allegedly assaulted a female police officer who, he said, was dressed in uniform and was on duty.

There are reports that Bartholomew mistakenly took the female officer for an old friend.

The Chief Cop was adamant that an assault on a police officer did take place prior to the incident inside the station.

Commissioner Thompson sought to justify his assertion by stating that assault is defined as getting close to an individual with an intention to touch or putting that person in fear of being harmed.

“Any advancement that was made on the (female) officer by Bartholomew was unwanted, was unwelcome and was not instigated by herself,” he said.

Sources told THE NEW TODAY that the severe beatings started after an officer was allegedly kicked inside the station by Bartholomew.

Commissioner Thompson said the reassignment of the police officers to other areas of RGPF is to allow a police investigation into what lead to the incident at the St. David’s Police Station to allow the investigation to proceed quickly and unimpeded.

ASP Ignatius Mason of the Criminal Investigation Department has been assigned as the officer with responsibility for investigating the matter which he said is of a criminal nature.

“Anyone found to be culpable will find that justice will take its course,” Commissioner Thompson said.

The top COP spoke of having a discussion with Head of CID, Superintendent Anthony Joseph after learning of the death of Bartholomew.

“I advised him (Supt. Joseph) of the need for a thorough and proper investigation into the matter. I also spoke with the Head of Operations, Supt. Edvin Martin,” he told reporters.

The Police Commissioner said he commanded Supt. Joseph to proceed quickly with the investigation.

Commissioner Thompson described the incident as being an isolated one which, he said, does not reflect the wider RGPF.

However, he said anything that is done wrong will definitely have some negative impact.

“However, we do hope that negative impact will be short-lived,” he said.

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