Rick Lowe
We got back from a fabulous weekend in Marsh Harbour, Abaco last night and I went for the car while my wife waited for the bags.
After collecting the car, I circled around to pick the wife up. Unfortunately the bags were delayed so I pulled in behind four or five cars obviously waiting to do the same thing.
After two or three minutes, officer 154 of the Royal Bahamas Police Force moseys up to tell me to move along.
Of course I immediately pointed out that I had just arrived and met the four or five vehicles ahead of me there.
Officer 154 then proceeds to ask which planet I was from, at which point I advised him I was from the same planet he was from as we were here on New Providence at the airport.
Officer 154 then suggested I was arguing with him to which I protested that I was only asking him if he allowed the four or five cars to wait there, not arguing.
Officer 154 then called out to another officer to ask her for the ticket book to write me up.
Officer 154 returned to the side of my vehicle to ask for my drivers license as he was going to give me a traffic violation.
Not to be out done, I suggested he could do so, but he should consider the cars waiting in front of me as well.
Just then the driver of the car immediately in front of me came out of the airport to get into his vehicle without so much as a caution from officer 154.
Officer 154 never handed me a ticket so I assume his conscience got the best of him.
However, I am a firm believer that one should follow the law as long as everyone else is made to do so. If a Police Officer can have double standards, so can I!
As I drove away to circle around I shouted out to officer 154 that I would let the Commissioner of Police know about my experience.
If you know our new Commissioner Greenslade, please pass this along.
there are other police who are taking advantage of their authority.
No surpise for me on this one. This sort of thing happens on a regular basis. they seem to find one they can pick on and ignore the more difficult challenges.
I experienced a similar incident at the airport Sunday. I parked in the short term lot, and proceeded towards the building, only to find a gaggle of cars lined up in the pick-up area.
It appears that the law in The Bahamas only applies to certain people, not everyone equally.
Been there, Done that! I have been in this exact situation at the airport in that area [waiting for someone inside who was collecting their bag].
I never got out of my car… I explained if I was obstructing anything or anybody I would move… I asked what about the other empty vehicles?…
I think often times these police officers will pick on decent people who they feel they can push around and not get alot of hard mouth from. So… I had to move and circle; and for the record, when I came around again, another car had taken my spot and the driver was nowhere to be seen… I shouted to the officer that he had missed that car – but I was totally ignored.
The law should and is supposed to apply to all! Rick if you can’t wait there a few minutes – there shoudn’t be cars parked there! But what do we know…?? Move along now…move along.
now now, lets try to understand the pradicament of the poor policeman as he has an occupational hazard to avoid:
He has to weigh the odds of the perpetrator of a crime(no matter the significance or severity) being related to someone, either by friendship or blood, that could effectively end his career, or at least negatively affect his immeadiate future.
On top of which, he has to balance the ever changing flux of “policy” against the actual written law, of which he has been told of, but not actually read himself.
Of course, there will be the occasional person that he will know himself, and wanting to feel better about his pradicament, he will want to wield some measure of power in the presence of, and for his/her benevolence to be felt by the recipient.
Of course, even if he does write you up, the books are no longer page numbered so that, just in case, he or, his superior can abort a potential catastrophy for them all!!
Talk about job related stress!!
Would you want that job?
Sorry, I forgot the most serious threat to the police constable, that of being shot by some drug dealer/ lawless individual that thinks that jah rules or some other such miscreant!
Also, do not forget the hoodie that has the music so loud(for public enjoyment of course) that he couldn’t hear the police officer even if he was checking!!
They do the same thing down town.The public is not supposed to park in the loading zone, yet they do all day long.No one is ticketed for it, but if a delivery van parks in a regular parking spot because someone is illegally parked in the loading zone, they are ticketed.This happens all the time.I believe the police have a scam going on as usual.
In every aspect of society we have corrupt officers and some government employee who rack havoc on the good people of the Bahamas. And don
t forget our judicial system are in chaos. So if you are violated intentionally, unlawfully, illegally or immorally from these corrupt officers / employees to their supperiors or the court system it is like climbing mount everest and somewhere down the line you just give up, and nothing is done or solve. In my opinion i beleive the people of the Bahamas is more afraid of the corrupt persons in sencetive or powerful position who rack the most havoc on its people. The people needs to network more often similar to the blogs and video so that we can come to this conclusion on who is our greatest enemy in this society.am quite sure some of the harden criminals are working for or in connection with some of the rogue police officers. The conclusion is the truth “AND IT SURE LOOKS THAT WAY”.As high as the crime situation is there should be no promotion in the arm forces untill crime brought under controll. Promotion should be given on merits, but right now the police force should be given demerits.The good police officers are surely been smeared by rogue officers and our coumtry is in trouble if the bad or corrupt officers are committing crime, disrepect,extortion and immoral acts under the nose of the good police officers we are in serous trouble. Mr Greenslade should start attacking crime first by getting rid of all rogue police officers first. I