Convicted cops stay on payroll

| 12/12/2016 | 37 Comments

(CNS): Three police officers convicted of assaulting suspects during the process of arrests have not been fired. The RCIPS released a statement on Saturday confirming that the officers have been suspended “from any and all police duties, but will continue to receive their police salary”. Cardiff Robinson and Austin Etienne were convicted of assault after they were involved in an arrest where a court found excessive force was used after the suspect was tasered twice. Michael ‘Bobby’ Peart was charged and convicted after beating a suspect with his truncheon in a patrol car following a traffic stop.

The police said that any “further developments with respect to their employment status with the RCIPS will be shared as appropriate”, but there were no details on how long the suspension will be for and whether they will eventually return to duty or will be sacked.

All three police officers were on duty and carrying out arrests when they assaulted the suspects and the new commissioner of police confirmed that officers should not be using more force than necessary when trying to take people into custody.

“Police officers have important duties to carry out while enforcing the law and ensuring public safety,” said CoP Derek Byrne. “They must have the right to use reasonable force while doing so without threat of prosecution.  But this right never extends to the excessive use of force, which violates basic rights, erodes public confidence, and undermines the good work that the overwhelming majority of RCIPS officers often put themselves in harm’s way to do.”

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Category: Crime, Police

Comments (37)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Mr. boss man from uk do the right think here fast. don’t fall into the “well I advise that you do this” trap.

  2. Anon says:

    Wow! What an example to set. Be ashamed RCIP you are supposed to be Pilar’s of the community. What message does this send to the youths? Sad

  3. Anonymous says:

    Well I think (I hope) we’ve seen it all. Now we’re paying expatriates to stay at home and relax for physically abusing our local people in the name of the law. Will they be allowed to vote in the next elections too? Seems we might as well grant them that priviledge while we’re at it.

  4. Ambassador of Absurdistan says:

    Just Another day in Absurdistan

  5. Anonymous says:

    Well the end is coming soon, IF Politian’s get control of the POLICE corruption will be ram- pit and wide spread. I trust no Politian PERIOD! This morning on the so called or rather self called “Cayman #1 talk show” they are rallying for this to occur , I wonder why? . There is no perfect body of employment any where in this GOD given earth. You will always have an element of bad people. We just have to deal with them one on one instead of painting everyone with the same brush.

    Priest, Doctors, Lawyers, Police, Officials, CEO’s Pastors, Judges, in every profession there has been abuse of power/position. why does this surprise anyone anymore. Just have to hold each accountable when their time comes. This is my 3 cents.

    • well says:

      So tell me something! You say putting the Politicians in charge will lead to corruption. Didn’t the last Commissioner say the robbery at the RCIPS and missing drugs was due to corrupt cops? Seems to be the FCO/Governor solution isnt working either!

      • Anonymous says:

        if you took the time to read and understand my comment . I did not say any thing about the FCO/Governor…. we have had our share of bad eggs there too. But at least we have some sort of oversight. Putting it in the hand of Politian’s is not the answer. Just take a lot to the East/North any direction where the POLICE/LAW-Enforcement falls under POLITIANS . Take the time to educate yourself before you comment. READ . Thank you. your turn 🙂

  6. Anonymous says:

    Ever heard of the right to appeal or of a conviction being overturned?

    • Anonymous says:

      Being convicted should be enough to dismiss. If a successful appeal was to happen they could be reinstated. Otherwise it makes any conviction a nonsense.

    • Anonymous says:

      Because they were charged it means that their employer, the police, believes they are guilty. An Acquittal would be irrelevant. All employment laws require is that an employer holds a reasonable suspicion of conduct to terminate. Actual proven guilt is not a requirement.

    • Anonymous says:

      11:41, They are members of the RCIPS with criminal convictions. Slight conflict of interest don’t you think? Only in the Cayman Islands can Govt. employees be rewarded for misconduct and now even criminal convictions, yet in the private sector if you turn up late one too many times you are fired.

  7. Anonymous says:

    This is nonsense! How many people lose their job when convicted of lesser crimes? They should be sacked immediately after their conviction! what else is there to investigate internally? They are guilty and now are liabilities to the RCIPS!

  8. Anonymous says:

    Three more receiving full pay for life. Once you’re put on the Government pay roll there is no system in place in Government bureaucracy to have this reversed. They have no idea that the word ‘TERMINATION’ in the English Language exists. Mark my word, in five years when enquiries are made regarding their status, we’ll be told that “we’re looking into the matter and hope to have it resolved soon” in the meantime we would have paid them hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, just like all the many beforehand that went through similar circumstances.

    • Anonymous says:

      What is really going on with Linda Evans. She is the only person I know who has not been convicted of any criminal offence but has been on required leave for almost 2 years… but for what?! Nobody can say. Every other case is tied to a criminal matter but not hers so why is she not back at work instead of collecting a salary and doing nothing!

      • Troots says:

        Astley got paid for 16 years. Linda has a ways to go if she’s hoping to break the record.

      • Allar says:

        Good question, the authorities should be shamed of themselves meaning the investigators, head of the civil service and the DPP office. It all lies with them. Two years for an investigation into wrong doing is absurd and unheard of. If this was a murder it should have been completed by now or at the least a statement saying that there is a case to answer. It is a shame that the tax payers money is so blatantly disregarded. Wow!!!!

      • Anonymous says:

        the garbage truck driver in Little cayman mashed up the garbage truck and another govt. truck when he was dead drunk and have been suspended with full pay for over 2 years. Why are we are so fool and do good to the bad ones and give hell to the good ones, the govt, stinks.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I hope the Justice when in the sentencing of this matter issues the strongest condemnation to the Crown. The Justice must make it know to all that justice is for all and apply this factor in his sentencing hearing.

    All must bend to the law – even the Crown

  10. Anonymous says:

    just another day in wonderland….

  11. Anonymous says:

    Madam Governor over to you

  12. Uncivil Servant says:

    Will the Governor and Deputy Governor have anything to say about this decision and seek to address a very dangerous precedent?

    • Anonymous says:

      why they are all getting there fat paycheck for sitting on there backside. don’t rock the boat baby!

  13. Anonymous says:

    That makes no bloody sense but is typical of the the civil service and management in Cayman.

  14. POV says:

    Not too little force and not too much – sounds to me like a recipe for disaster. Guess there will be a lot of training going on in the police force for them to “get it right” in the heat of the moment????

  15. Anonymous says:

    In the private sector even an arrest and charge would be enough to end employment! This Government is a joke. ALL OF IT!

  16. Poor says:

    Go figure.

    There’s a really good police officer on suspension, with pay, for over four years now for supposed a traffic violation during the course of his duties. He was put on suspension even before he went to trial. They still cant resolve his case as he appealed the conviction because they know they were wrong and hid evidence, which they are still trying to hide. He is Caymanian. He is still the only one that was capable of doing his job in the MU.

    But they have these three facing criminal charges and had them still at work and only now put them on suspension. They are all originally expats, status unkown now. The RCIPS also tried to hide the prosecution of one but threw the caymanian name out to the wolves from day one.

    Something is wrong with this picture.

    Something aint right. Whats going on. Is there not one person here willing to step in and bring to light whats happening.

    • Anonymous says:

      Either you have been mis informed or you are deliberately seeking to mis inform. Either way, check your facts.

      • Stop, Think says:

        Sorry, i think you are the one trying to mislead people. I believe 4yrs adds creadance to his story. Really 4yrs.

        If the RCIPS/DPP were not hiding anything it would have been concluded already because they would have been pushing for it to be, just like others.

        But there obviously is something wrong because the length of time that has gone by, also if he was placed on suspension before the trial even began and not the others.

        • Anonymous says:

          The delay is caused by the court and it’s over loaded system rather than the RCIPS and it wasn’t a simple single traffic offence but believe what you wish to believe.

          • Anon says:

            Sorry, but again your wrong. Still trying to mislead people.

            I know this case as I have been following it closely and yes it was, and still is, over a traffic offense.

            And no its not being held up by an over loaded court system but as stated by the prosecutor during his last court appearance “the office of the DPP is not prepared to proceed at this time”.

            I was there and heard this said.

            And since you act like you know so much I invite you to prove your comments otherwise stop spreading rumours and slanderous remarks.

  17. Anonymous says:

    huh?? Convicted and still on the payroll??? Isn’t a cop being CONVICTED of a criminal offense an automatic termination?

    damn, just damn…

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