By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Thompson yesterday criticised previous comments by Prime Minister Perry Christie referring to a “division” between the country’s armed forces.

Earlier this month, Mr Christie said he was walking on “eggshells” over crime due to a “division” between the police and defence force.

However, Mr Thompson accused politicians of using the Royal Bahamas Police Force as a “scapegoat” in discussions on crime.

He said that Mr Christie’s comments about a “division” between the police force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force were “nonsense” and would only put fear in people.

Two weeks ago, at the fifth annual United States-Caribbean High-Level Citizen Security Dialogue (HLCSD) and amidst a recent surge of homicides, the prime minister said he is being “subjected to walking on eggshells” despite wanting the “madness on our streets to end.” Mr Christie said he was “convinced” there is a “great deal more that we can or should be doing to fight this common menace” of crime.

However, his statements led some to believe that he may have been throwing Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade under the bus for the rising murder rate.

“I think for some time now comments have been made by the prime minister which are critical of the police service, and the head of the police service is the commissioner,” Mr Thompson told The Tribune yesterday. “On the other hand if you look at the good work that the police service is doing, one would wonder why such comments have been made. It’s my opinion that we have an excellent police force that is doing a lot of good work. When you look at every week the number of cases, several arrests for firearms, murder, for armed robbery, the police force is doing a very good job.”

He added that many politicians do not respect the police force.

“…It’s a matter of respect, and I believe the commissioner is on the right track. He has his plan. And if you follow what the police are doing, they’re doing remarkable work. But they’re not getting credit from the politician. The politician is quiet, but very often they’re going to criticise. They have to find a scapegoat, and the police force is the scapegoat.”

Addressing Mr Christie’s claims of a “division” between the country’s law enforcement agencies, Mr Thompson said: “That’s not so. That’s nonsense. If the defense force and the police have to work together to do the job, it will be done. The differences are put aside, whatever differences. And the differences might be between individuals, not the force itself.

“We have always had this problem. That exists all over the world, not only here. And I am surprised someone is going to talk about it, because what it does is put a little fear in people living in the country.”

Last week, when questioned on Mr Christie’s statements, Mr Greenslade said more emphasis needs to be put on what contributions Bahamians are making in the fight against crime instead of “pointing fingers.”

Although shying away from responding directly to the prime minister, Mr Greenslade said people make a “mistake” by singling out law enforcement – particularly the RBPF – in discussions on crime prevention.