By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Ellison Greenslade yesterday warned criminals not to underestimate whether police officers were fully armed on or off duty.

Mr Greenslade hit back at criticisms levelled by Police Staff Association executive chairman Dwight Smith as “absolute nonsense”.

He charged that Mr Smith did not have clearance to speak on police matters, and did not follow proper procedure when he held a press conference to call on the government to allow off-duty officers to be armed.

He added that it was important to discourage the mindset that possessing a firearm made an individual powerful or indestructible.

“Absolute nonsense,” he said, “and I’m going to say now I have spoken to Inspector Dwight Smith and I’ve reminded him of the laws of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

“He does not speak for the Commissioner or the Royal Bahamas Police Force on matters of discipline and promotion, that is law and as a commissioner I have been very respectful and decent in my utterances, and I’m going to ask him finally to stop it.

“I blame the press for entertaining it, stop encouraging disrespect,” he added.

Earlier this month, Mr Smith called on the government to allow off-duty Royal Bahamas Police Force officers to be armed. Mr Smith’s comments came after a comrade, Sgt Wayne Rolle, was shot in the head and killed as he sat in his jeep with a female friend while off-duty on December 4.

At the time of his death, Sgt Rolle was attached to the Mobile Division, according to police.

According to PSA Treasurer Corporal Kirk Bastian, the RBPF has always been considered to be an unarmed force, meaning all officers cannot carry state-issued firearms at all times.

He said that police can only brandish police-issued firearms and ammunition within their hours of duty.

During a press conference on Saturday, Mr Greenslade said: “Do not assume that a police officer is off duty, and do not assume that the police officer is unarmed because I have a duty of care and I’ve exercised it.

“Notwithstanding what you hear, police officers are well trained, well armed and in sufficient numbers that this public can be comfortable.”

“What I’m more concerned about is given the amount of firearms that this commissioner has put in the hands of police officers of all ages,” he said, “that the officers understand how heavy that obligation is.

“If they use that weapon it must always be justifiable force and harm in line with the laws of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

“It’s one thing to hold a gun and pull a trigger wearing your uniform, but you’ve got to be justified it’s not as simple as it appears.”

He said: “Let me also take away from the public and my officers this view that because you have a gun you are all powerful and you’re safe that is a flawed impression.”

Mr Greenslade explained that the law mandated Mr Smith consult him before publicly airing concerns over police matters.

“I have had absolutely no conversations with him regarding our dearly beloved who was recently murdered,” he said.

“My heart grieves, that family is still grieving, and what I would like to hear him or any other officer say if authorized to speak is that you should please turn in the murderer.

“Please turn in the person that murdered Sgt Wayne Rolle. Please turn in the persons that have murdered all of our citizens that are still outstanding, these murderers are living among us right now.

Mr Greenslade said: “Solve Wayne Rolle’s murder, turn the men in who did it before they strike again. Stop telling the commissioner all of these sidebar things that do not add up.”