We have a major problem in The Bahamas.  It is about the low level of integrity of The Royal Bahamas Police Force which is at an all time low.
  Based on a brewing controversy involving a senior officer who is on “garden leave”, members of the general public are asking a number of questions about what appears to be corruption and complicity of officers in a number of homicides.
  We believe that former Commissioners the late Salathiel Thompson, the late Bernard Bonamy would be embarrassed as they roll over in their graves on the rot that is apparent in the Police Force today. Indeed former Commissioner Elliston Greenslade who has a good reputation as an officer of integrity and who during his tenure was accountable to the public must detest the lack of transparency which is evident.
   The reputation of the Force suffered a major blow when following the death of Michael Fox Jr., a recording went viral on social media with a senior officer negotiating an arrangement with a gang leader who was involved in a major robbery.  Since then a number of events that have unfolded made the whole affair ominous.  Among other murders were those of Oral Roberts and Dino Smith.
   After the revelation of the recording, a young man involved was a victim of a shooting at his home.  This was widely reported in the media.
  Then the public was told by members of the government and Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander that officers from Scotland Yard and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were to be involved in this matter.  This was many weeks ago.  We don’t know if these  officers ever came to The Bahamas  to look into the matter.  Now Mr. Fernander had the audacity to announce that the Police would say nothing else to the public.  This simply unacceptable. It shakes whatever little trust that the public has in the police.
   After the death of one of the gang members in Fox Hill which followed the release of the recording, his distraught mother made accusations that the Royal Bahamas Police Force was responsible for the death of her son.  She claimed that it was an extra-judicial killing.  She could be right or wrong  in her assertion.  Either way, it should be properly investigated  and it speaks to a level of distrust of the Police Force by the community.
   We understand that there are some 300 complaints before the Police Complaints  Board against officers accused of various crimes.
   Since 1998, a National Commission on Crime chaired by retired Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall suggested that there should be created by statute, a civilian buffer between the Force Command and the political directorate, authorised to advise both the Force and the Government on policy and concerns of a general nature from within or outside of the Force.  Such a body would be institutionally connected to the Police Service Commission and be the clearing house for complaints by all ranks of the Force and the general public.
   In this space we made it clear before that we believe there are many outstanding, fair-minded, independent people who can bring judgment in the face of wrongdoing.
There is a stigma of corruption hanging over the institution of the Force.  Since the integrity of the Force is paramount for the protection of the public, the government must move posthaste to assure the public that there is capacity and the will to bring corrupt police officers to justice.