Police Force weeding out bad cops

The Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) has been using lie-detector tests to weed out bad cops.

Last year, the Force expanded its internal use of polygraph testing as a tool to identify and counter existing levels of unethical conduct.

Furthermore, this year the intention is to strengthen this approach through the use of the disciplinary machinery and the continued application of training as a structured intervention.

Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith highlighted this during the recently held RBPF 2018 Annual Conference.

According to him, “We remain encouraged by the high levels of public support for our work. At the same time, we are constantly reminded by the reality that the enjoyment of public
confidence can be readily undermined by acts of misconduct on the part of the police that include uncouth behaviour, unethical conduct, lack of commitment to high quality customer service or other breaches of discipline.”

He told police officers gathered at the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Headquarters, Solidarity House that he is of the view that these internal actions to resist the impact of
corruptive influences on law enforcement must be matched by interventions that fall outside his direct control.

“Indeed, for organised crime and other forms of serious crimes to exist, there must be the presence of supporting characteristics such as institutional weaknesses and other corruptive influences.

“For an agency to rigorously withstand the impact of these challenges active consideration must be given to a range of measures that are deliberately intended to divert police and other state actors from the seductive arms of organised criminal enterprises. Naturally, such considerations must include a review of existing pecuniary and other benefits for all law enforcement officials,” Griffith said. (TL)