Police Commissioner Orders Probe into Leak of Opposition Leader’s Statement

Police Commissioner Chester Williams is upset over the leakage of the police statement made by the Leader of the Opposition, Moses Shyne Barrow.  In speaking with Love News, Williams says he has directed that an investigation be launched by the Professional Standards Branch (PSB) to ascertain who distributed a copy of the signed statement that Barrow had made against UDP’s Beverly Williams.  

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Certainly, and again it is disgusting on the part of those police officers who are responsible for disclosing that statement to the public. It is not a statement for public consumption. It cannot be  that we live in a society where the general public goes to the police and makes complaints and then they see the statements that they have given to the police on social media platforms just minutes after they gave that statement. It is rather disgusting and it is something that is certainly hindering us from getting the support that we need to get from the public because it’s an egregious breach of trust and confidence and so I personally wish that I can know exactly who or which police officer or officers are behind the leakage of that statement to the public and believe you me if I can find out who they are they cannot be a police officer any more. They certainly have lost it. So again public or the media must also have some degree of responsibility in ensuring that even though yes you got this thing leaked from the police you should know it is not something for public consumption. Yes I understand that the media does love to get things that are very juicy but come on man there must be some responsibility. We do have mechanisms but the issue is for us to be able to know exactly who released it. I have given certain instructions to PSB in terms of what they can do to find out who did it and that process is ongoing. So I’m hoping that very soon we’ll be able to know exactly who leaked the statement.” 

In mid-June, Cabinet announced a proposed amendment to the Criminal Code, which would make it an offense to publish or disseminate information, pictures, and video that could hinder a police investigation. In speaking on this matter, the commissioner explained to Love News back in July that police officers were also susceptible to being charged for distributing information without authorization.