A man eager to get on the 2017 election register was arrested yesterday after a police officer spotted him waiting in line to register and realised he was known to police.

Police Superintendent Stephen Dean confirmed that the man was arrested at the Parliamentary Registration Department on Farrington Road on Wednesday.

According to Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall, police had the man under surveillance.

A department employee tipped The Bahama Journal off about the incident.

“This guy was dressed in Dickie’s pants and was a pretty clean cut fellow. He came in and was directed to the room to register,” said the female employee who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“Then all of a sudden we saw police officers. Now, we didn’t get alarmed because police officers come here to serve summons and they didn’t put on any sirens. But, all of a sudden we saw CDU [Central Detective Unit] officers searching the man and patting him down. Then they escorted him out of the building.”

She said this incident is further proof why the department needs adequate security.

“There is no police officer or security guard stationed here. Police are only stationed here during an election,” she said.

“This is an office that has mostly females working here. So, anything could happen at any time. This is also a department that falls under the National Security Ministry. It seems Minister Nottage can’t get it right. With all of this crime happening something needs to be done because this guy could have done anything and no one would have been here to help us.”

Mr. Hall said the department is seeking to address the staff’s security concerns.

“We’re working with police to see if we can get some police presence around the department,” he said.