Eastern Division South Commander Says Police Attitude Has Changed

Chester Williams

Before the Garifuna Settlement Day holiday we caught up with Eastern Division South Commander Chester Williams as he and his officers walked on Oleander Street in the City, meeting and talking with residents. It’s a new initiative which, the statistics are showing, has reaped significant dividends. Williams told us that it’s been a two pronged approach – changing the dynamics of the community while changing the attitude of Police officers as well.

Supt. Chester Williams, Commander, Eastern Division South

 “When I came in July I had made that a very important part of my administration to ensure…that in the same way we want to eradicate crime and we want to be out there telling people we will not tolerate criminal behaviour, in that same vein we are saying that our officers’ attitude must also change because then oftentimes the attitude of the Police was a contributing factor to the crime before, because when we are out there brutalizing people, treating the young people in such a hostile way, all these people are seeing is violence, so what will they do – they perpetrate violent acts as well. So if the Police will be acting violently then automatically the people out there will do the same. That’s what they see from the Police so they follow suit. So it was important that we change our attitude in the way we deal with the public and I am pleased to say that we are not getting many complaints about Police brutality again. That has significantly reduced as well.”