BY DESTINY JOHNSON

A video that circulated on social media of two police officers manhandling and hitting
a 15-year-old male student of CV Bethel High School resulted in one of the officers
being placed before the Police Tribunal.
The video which circulated nearly two weeks ago sparked national outrage from many
Bahamians.
In the video, one officer is seen hitting the student with a police baton in his back and
both officers aggressively pulled the boy to the back of a police golf-cart.
Police released a statement regarding the incident last week, which stated that the
organization is concerned with the behavior displayed by the officers and an extensive
investigation was launched.
Following the incident, the student’s mother reportedly filed a complaint against the
officers with the Police Force’s Complaints and Corruption Unit.
Acting Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux, who provided an update to the
media on Tuesday, said the officer will be removed from policing until the
investigation is completed.
“An investigation was conducted and at the completion of the investigation, it was
recommended that the police sergeant be placed before the Police Tribunal. As a
result, I wish to inform you that this police sergeant will be placed before the Police
Tribunal today (Tuesday Sept. 19 th ), and he will be removed from frontline policing
until the completion of this matter,” said Acting Commissioner of Police Deleveaux.
Earlier this year Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander, during a meet the press
briefing, revealed that in 2022 there were 170 civilian complaints against police
officers compared to 234 in 2021.
On Tuesday, Acting Commissioner Deleveaux assured residents that most police are
hard working.
“I wish to advise the public that 99 percent of the police officers on the force are
hardworking, decent, and honest police officers who go daily beyond the call of duty
to serve the Bahamian public.

“Sadly, less than one percent of our officers from time to time find themselves going
against the law. Hence, in many cases we have put police officers before the courts or
before the internal tribunal. All of these officers though like anyone else is innocent
until proven guilty,” he said.
Acting Commissioner Deleveaux urged members of the public not to rush to judgment
because in most cases you only see a small piece of a video footage.
He commended and congratulated the hard-working officers of the Royal Bahamas
Police Force who continue to perform their duties to the best of their abilities.