ComPol Explains Darrel Usher’s Lock-Up Situation
Darrel Usher
The images were circulated on Facebook by Police Corporal Darrel Usher, who is on interdiction. Now, Usher and his brother spent more than forty hours inside the holding cell, also known as the “piss house.” Usher was there because he had been detained for an incident on Saturday night in which it was alleged that he physically hit someone, while his brother Dorian drew a weapon and fired shots. One of the persons involved, Christopher Faber, made a complaint and the Usher siblings were detained. On arraignment, Faber had a change of heart and withdrew charges and the duo was freed. While in detention, “Tutsie” used his phone to document and photograph the filthy conditions. Today, the commissioner fielded questions about Usher’s possession of a phone while in lock up and why the department held him for almost forty-eight hours even thought Faber wanted the matter dropped. ComPol Williams says he is not about to let the public think an officer of the department is getting special treatment. Here’s his testy exchange with the media.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The complaint was that there was some gambling and somebody won. A firearm was involved; shots were fired and the complainant claimed to have been beaten up. So, if a gun was involved and shots were fired, I don’t see how it could be frivolous. If it is that the man has made a complaint, then let us take the matter to court. Let go to the court and he says he wants nothing. I don’t want that later on they come back and say ‘oh because dah wah policeman, unu nuh do nothing.’ We do our part and then he goes to the court and tell the court he wants nothing and then the court dispose of the matter from there. Let me finish. In respect of the issue of him having a phone in the cell block that is a totally different situation. I have tasked Professional Standards to go in and investigate that matter how could a prisoner in custody have a cell phone on him doing the things that he was doing. Practically, he was on Facebook all day. We cannot countenance such behavior, so PSB will be dealing with that issue.”
Reporter
“But, two things; you are showing a double standard because in the case of Douglas Grant and Chicken Dread Ferguson – you said if the man want drop the complaint we can’t proceed with it any further. As Chicken Dread had indicated he didn’t want the complaint against Douglas Grant. You were happy because of the political implications to take your hand off that case. So that is a double standard?”
Chester Williams
“Hold on again, let me answer you. With Mr. Usher, there is also political implications and neither chicken dread nor Douglas Grant were police officers. When it comes to police officers, we have to do what we need to do to ensure that there is no cover up. Because you and I know that if we had not done so you would be the same one to come back and say ‘oh because it is police officers you haven’t done…” that is not going to happen. We are going to do what needs to be done and let the person say they want to nothing. So, the truth is, I see no double standards.”
Reporter
“How then do we deal with the issue of the whistleblower – he has put fire under your chair; under the human rights chair; by exposing these abominable conditions?”
Chester Williams
“I don’t think he put fire under my chair.”
Reporter
“You wouldn’t have fixed it had it not been exposed?”
Chester Williams
“No. That had been tasked even before he did that. It had been tasked. I am waiting for the estimate to come in, so it is not because of what he did why it is being fixed. That had been commissioned already. So, I don’t understand why you call him a whistleblower. He was a police on active duty for many years. He used to see it in such a condition and he used to see it and did nothing. But because he is a victim of it now – he was placed in there – come on, we must be fair.”
