Mom files police complaint

A woman has lodged official complaints after police officers allegedly refused to allow her to get properly dressed after she was arrested and handcuffed at her home.

Nichole Williams, 42, of St David’s, has complained to the Human Rights Commission and lodged a complaint with the Bermuda Police Service.

She said: “I just had on a tank top and my breast was hanging out — I didn’t get to cover myself until I got to Hamilton police station. I don’t know if that’s normally how they treat people — but it certainly shouldn’t be.”

Ms Williams was arrested on Tuesday, February 26 at her home on a charge of breaching a restraining order over a family dispute with her estranged son.

She was detained at Hamilton police station overnight and was fined $500 in Magistrates’ Court the next morning.

She said: “The real problem is the way I was dealt with by the officers — I cried so hard, it was very humiliating. It was just bullying. They took me to Southside first, but I didn’t get out of the car. Then they took me to Hamilton station — I was still exposed when we got to Hamilton station.”

Disciplined

Ms Williams said: “… I didn’t even realise I had breached an order. I think the officers involved need to be disciplined. It’s not right. We do have rights as humans.”

She added: “My husband was very upset – I had to calm him down because I didn’t want them taking both of us.”

A total of six officers were involved in the arrest at Ms Williams’ home. She claims four of the officers, one of them a woman, asked the police sergeant in charge if Ms Williams could get properly dressed, but he apparently refused.

Ms Williams said: “I have already been to the Human Rights Commission and I have also lodged an official complaint with police.”

A HRC spokeswoman said it could not comment on individual cases.

A police spokesman said: “This is not something we would be able to speak about. The Bermuda Police Service encourages an aggrieved individual to use the requisite resources at their disposal, namely the Police Complaints Commission and due process will be followed.” n