Job: Police complaints will be investigated

The head of the Police Oversight Body (POB) is seeking to reassure the public that complaints made against the police will be investigated and justice done.

Rev Victor Job spoke to SEARCHLIGHT earlier this week and said that he is aware of all the attention accusations of police brutality have been getting and wanted to reiterate that an avenue for justice is available.{{more}}

The People’s Movement for Change (PMC) is currently holding lunchtime demonstrations on Bay Street, opposite the central police headquarters, every Wednesday to highlight the problem.

“This is not a fly by night thing. We (POB) are men of integrity, we study the complaints, give an audience to both sides and make recommendations,” Job, a Methodist Minister of 36 years experience, said.

He dismissed any notion that the committee is merely cosmetic, saying that persons can be sure that each report is taken seriously, and the recommendations which are made to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, have weight and are acted upon.

Job told SEARCHLIGHT that recently, four complaints were made to the committee.

He explained that only two of those complaints are being investigated because based on the facts presented by the two other complainants, it was realized, and agreed by the complainants, that the police were acting lawfully, in those instances.

Job explained that persons just have to lodge their complaint to him at the Methodist church office and if he isn’t present, a written report and contact information can be left with his secretary, during regular working hours.

The other members of the POB are former police officer Charles James and attorney-at-law Ronald Jack.(KJ)