Governor Adrian Davis during his recent press conference updated on the follow-up of the investigation involving police misconduct, and his plans for going forward in tackling what he called, a “mini crime wave.”
The Governor said that every one was concerned about the mini crime wave, observing that visitors note Montserrat’s relative crime free status as one of the main reasons for visiting and returning time after time. “We cannot afford to lose that identity,” he said.
He announced Wednesday that he ordered an independent full-scale review of the police force to be undertaken in May, following incidents of misconduct within the force and a “significant rise” in criminal activity. ”We have aIl agreed, both the premier and I, that there would be a full scale review, a two week review of the police force, in the first two weeks of May to be carried out by the FCO legal Adviser Larry Cunningham with assistance from senior officials from probably the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands…” he said.
Regarding any further follow up of the incident at Drummonds on December 17, he said there would be no further action, “until the criminal charges against Sergeant Laborde has been heard in court and a judgement come to.”
He said that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is not proposing to lodge any further criminal charges against the police. He suggested further, that until the case against Sergeant Laborde has been heard and concluded, “we cannot take any disciplinary action against any other member of the police force. Any action in respect to that probably wouldn’t happen until sometime in the summer.”
