12/8/2009 4:35:00 PM Governor and Premier issue joint statement on policing
TUESDAY, DEC. 8: His Excellency the Governor, Sir Richard Gozney and the Premier, Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP, have issued the following joint statement:
We are both anxious to do all that we can to help and to encourage the Bermuda Police Service to combat the shocking rise in gun crime. In fact, we discuss policing in Bermuda together, frequently and intensively.
New legislation that will help has either been passed already or will soon be tabled. The police budget has been supported strongly.
Some U.S. police officers experienced in anti-drug gang and anti-gun crime will be coming to Bermuda to help the Police and to lend the Bermuda Police Service the benefit of their experience and expertise.
Meanwhile, the Police Service's disruption of known and prolific offenders is intensifying, helped by the greater scope given them by one of the new laws, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.
Posted: Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Comment by:
Letariatpro
Hey Bruce, I will give you three guesses. Not that it matters really, anyone who can assist is fine, but yeah, you state the obvious, unfortunately, nothing is ever as simple as it should be here.
Posted: Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Comment by:
H.A. Stirling
I feel that I must address a few issues. First the person who wrote about Scotkand Yard and the Metropolitan police are absolutely correct. I feel we don't necessarily need the assistance of the US. There gang problems are far worse than ours and they don't have a handle on it so how are they going to help us?
On the point of P.A.C.E. That does not give the police more powers like the media is asserting. PACE actually lays down the criteria and parameters by which the police can act.If the police step outside those parameters then the public have a right to redress. Secondly, most Bermudians are unaware of their Constitutional Rights which is more supreme than any act of Bermuda's Parliament. As far as I am aware the Constitution has not been amended, therefore any act of Parliament which is contrary to the Constitution is no law at all and the Judges here in Bermuda need to have the backbone to state as much. Prime example is the police stopping people on the road for routine checks or checking to see if one has a valid licence. The police don't have those powers and an Act of Parliament cannot give them that power if it is not Consttutional. Section 11 of our Constitution say unless certain criteria is met then we cannot be impeded or hindered from travelling throughout Bermuda, which would include the police stopping the public without any justification. If a police does not have a valid right to stop you then anything after the illegal stop can be considered illegal as well. That is just a basic premise of law.
Thirdly, this govenment is planning on introducing a new law that gives the police more powers. The issue becomes how will this new power be used. For example, if for some reason the people peaceful gather in order to demonstrate. This new law could take away their right to peacefully assemble and protest which is a fundamental right.
Another law that this government wants to introduce is impounding of people vehicles. Another basic premise of law in a democratic society is that no person's property should be taken without just compensation. When persons vehicle is either impounded of clamped, they are unable to use their own property. This is wrong and unjustifiable. The whole reason that the government does this is not for some better good, but only to raise revenue.
Finally, if you allow the government to have operational control over the police, you are allowing this government to head toward a police state. For example, if some official in the government does not like what you say then he can order the police to harass or even arrest and detain you without any just cause or accountability. Please people of Bermuda see things for the way they are. Don't give up your rights and don't allow anyone to pull the wool over your eyes and never ever allow someone to take your rights. Learn what your rights are and hold on to them tightly.
Posted: Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Comment by:
Bruce McClarron / Arizona
As we are still a British colony... why don't we have police officers experienced in anti-drug gang and anti-gun crime from the UK, coming to render their services? Scotland Yard & the London Metropolitan police are as good as any police force in the world!!
