Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
SPANISH TOWN:
CHAIRMAN OF the Special Constabulary Association, Christopher Bowen, says his association is demanding a public apology from a Resident Magistrate in St. Mary who placed a special constable under arrest last Thursday for failing to call names loudly in court.
Mr. Bowen, who was speaking yesterday at a funeral in Spanish Town for the late police Inspector D'sent Nicholas, said that it was gross disrespect for members of the police force to be treated in that manner. He told The Gleaner that while the matter had been dealt with privately by a superintendent and the judge in question, who subsequently apologised to the affected policewoman, the issue will not be taken lightly.
OVERZEALOUS JUDGE
The judge carried out her act of overzealousness in open court, he said. He added that when the police started to clear the court for the judge to address the special constable, the judge demanded that all persons in court should remain, making the issue a public one.
He said that a private apology was thus inadequate. As chairman of the police associa-tion, he said he will be writing to Senator A.J. Nicholson, Minister of Justice; Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security and the Resident Magistrates Association.
"We cannot have it where judges place police personnel in custody in their uniform for the slightest thing," he said. Judges should not be allowed to vilify, ridicule or humiliate police officers for the slightest infraction and the association will be actively seeking a resolution.
