Bacchus: ‘Police presence an overkill’

Local police are being accused of taking security “too far” when escorting Dexter Chance and two other men.

The three men were on Friday, June 5th, ordered extradited to Tortola to face cocaine importation charges.{{more}} Lawyer Kay Bacchus Browne, who represents the three men, told SEARCHLIGHT that she believes that the police are overdoing security measures and have turned the proceedings into a “circus”.

The extradition hearing began on May 5th, and each time Chance, Gareth Mc Dowall and Carlos Sutherland appeared at the Serious Offences Court, the police presence was very strong.

Heavily armed officers attached to the Rapid Response Unit (Black Squad) and the Special Service Unit (SSU) were aplenty, and the accused drug smuggling conspirators were whisked to and from the court with heightened urgency.

“It is an overkill,” charged Bacchus Browne. “You protect them yes, but it is an overkill…a whole set of police in three vehicles, with guns hanging out of the vehicles, sirens blasting…a lot of pomp and show,” she further states.

Bacchus Browne told SEARCHLIGHT that while she understands that the serious nature of the hearings, considering what her clients are being accused of, demands heightened security, she believes it has been taken overboard – a charade.

However, each time the matter has been heard in court, scores of supporters have flooded the area, and take up vantage points in the vicinity of the court house.

Many have hurdled insults and verbal abuse at the police.

On one occasion, one woman went close to the vehicle in which the accused men were being transported and pushed aside a police officer to get a glimpse of the men.

But Bacchus Browne is adamant that the police have turned the proceedings into a sideshow.

“It is a public display of force that is very frightening,” the veteran attorney said.

However, Commissioner of Police Keith Miller told SEARCHLIGHT that the measures put in place were deemed necessary based on police intelligence and the nature of the case.

Miller said that while some may want to say how much security police must put in place when dealing with certain situations, they are not privy to the intelligence that the police have.

“We will put the security measures in place that we deem necessary,” Miller said.

Meanwhile, Bacchus Browne has indicated that the defence plans to appeal Chief Magistrate Sonya Young’s extradition order.(KJ)