Stress and the Police job

The recent story of a police officer shooting at the door of his ex, or unfaithful, lover, should come as no surprise when you hear that there are no social workers working within the Windward Islands Police Force. It's not the first time an officer has displayed unstable behavior and decision making, nor, if the club and gun rumors are true, the first time authority has been abused with a display of arrogance and egotism.

Power corrupts, it is well known, which is why a healthy democracy must have transparency and accountability from it's government and public officials. Police and Law Enforcement officers have a great deal of power, which requires a higher level of supervision and management. The big picture here is not this officer, or the others before him who have 'screwed up', the Big Picture here is the failure and almost criminal neglect of responsibility from Dutch and NA politicians, in particular David Dick and Hirsch Balin, to fix the problems of St. Maarten and it's justice system.

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Glenn Carty, President of the Chamber of Commerce does have a point when he said that more police officers will not solve the problems with crime, it wouldn't. There are many aspects of crime and criminal behavior that need to be addressed, education, training and jobs, more active and expanded youth and sports facilities, structured and helpful social and family services and assistance, just adding more police and expanding prison cells is not a solution in itself.

We do need more police, no question there, but just like above, there are other aspects of doing so that need to be addressed first. For example ethnic diversity, salary structures, training, management and equipment to name a few. Here we are in 2008 and our Police Force don't even have a counselor or social worker? Isn't that just a little ridiculous and downright outrageous?

Police Officers face a great deal of stress, much of it unique to their job.

10 REASONS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE DIFFERENT - And how these differences impact on their stress!

While I hope this officer never gets his gun back, at the same time I think we in our community should open our minds to look at the deeper reasons and culprits behind the event. In the same way, we should ask ourselves if our education and employment situation is behind the rise in youth gangs and youth crimes.

All roads appear, at least to me, to lead to the Federal and Dutch Governments and their politicians who continue to apply band aids to a serious and dangerous situation, public trust and confidence in the Justice and Law enforcement system continues to be eroded on a regular basis. This incident can be laid at their feet, if this officer had had a social worker to talk to, or if a social worker had been able to observe there were problems, it might well have been avoided, like so many other of these breakdowns.

Dr. Voodoo.

Related News and Articles

Federal Detectives Are Investigating Cassiana Case - 30th July 2008

Cassiana detention extended - 25th July 2008

Cassiana to spend eight more days in psychiatric jail ward - 25th July 2008

Daily Herald Editorial - Action Needed - 24th July 2008

Witnesses heard in police shooting case - 24th July 2008

Shooting officer arrested, communication problems blamed - 23nd July 2008

Today O & C - Communication - 23rd July 2008

Dick - More Foreign Assistance Needed to Restructure Police Force - 23rd July 2008

Officer arrested 4 days after shooting due to lack of proper communication - 22nd July 2008

Police, Prosecutor’s Office to meet on police shooting - 21st July 2008

Gun Totting Detective Left for Psychiatric Evaluation - 19th July 2008

Safe Haven condemns shooting - 19th July 2008

Police shooter to go to Curacao for detention - 19th July 2008

Police man shoots at policewoman lover's door - 18th July 2008

Today O & C - Love Triangle - 18th July 2008

Daily Herald - Police officers’ love affair turns sour, gunshots fired - 18th July 2008

Audio - Island Times - Police shoot at police - 18th July 2008

(You can find more in the Justice - Police - Crime Thread and the Constitutional Change Thread

Submitted by Dr. Voodoo on Sat, 2008-07-19 11:26.

What does the community expect from a police officer? The answer is: he has to be an all arounder because he will be confronted with all issues while doing his work as police officer. He has to be at least knowlegable in prioviding First Aid because of the many accidents and violent incidents, he has to be a social worker because of the many social problems he encounter in this society, he has to be a boxer or ninja because of the violent groups and people he faces every day in his or her work. I can continue with the amount of responsibilities that has been bestowed upon his or her shoulder while his peers has never provided them with adequate training and equipment to be able to perform as such. It is not wise to blame the soldiers for the mishaps. We need to tackle management and make them responsible for any situation in which an officer is involved negatively. Combatting crime nowadays is not like the olding days. we need to be better prepared and equiped. All the governments and the ministers of justices of the last 20 years has failed to provide adquate training and resources and equipment to establish a good and effiicient Police Department on each island of the Antilles. I recommend to change the present system and start by appointing a manager to run the police department. A person with good management skills and business sense because this department need to function as a business. This is just another cry in the wilderness as I do not see that this or the next administration will do anything to change the status. That is one of the many reasons which tells me that we are going in the wriong direction and the new status will only bring us more problems.

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It's not just that these things happen that causes the erosion of confidence in the justice and law enforcement services, but also the way they respond. You would think these people would know that honesty is the best policy, but there is a consistent effort again and again to limit information given to the public and say as little as possible. This results in rumors and confusion, amongst themselves too.

Gun Totting Detective Arrested - 22nd July 2008

Police, Prosecutor’s Office to meet on police shooting - 21st July 2008

SMN News reports another officer having domestic troubles, I guess he'll have to go to Curacao to get some help eh Dicky? SMNN also has this about the Gumbs murder case, which may, according to rumors, be connected somehow with these officers and a missing gun. Talking of guns, did they ever find those guns stolen last year, one report says possibly 15 of them from the Customs Office.

An article in the paper yesterday reported that DNA tests had confirmed the body found, almost a year ago in Saba was really Joel Gove. Then we have the guy who got stabbed and died a month later in hospital, which for some reasons makes me think of Martin Paredes. Add in the brutal murder of Angelique Chauvire, a case in which you would think there would be forensic evidence to convict. They have the main suspect in Point Blanche and the French are in charge of the investigation, I'd be angry about it too.

I could go on, and on, for instance the cases of Police abuse still waiting to be heard about, or the absolutely stunning and outrageous news this past week that the 911 line is not manned 24 hours. Holiday promised to look into that over a year ago. There was me thinking 911 was a Crime Hotline but I guess we need another one, if you can't manage one telephone service well, start another.

I think there is a very strong case to be made showing the Kingdom, meaning the Dutch and Federal governments, have repeatedly, and are continuing to fail St. Maarten and it's people. Our Police Force, Prosecutors Office and Prison do not get the resources, the equipment, the training and the assistance they need to do a good job and be sound. The social system, again a federal responsibility, is reliant upon foundations and charities, mostly unregulated and/or poorly supervised.

All of this gives strength to our sketchy politicians who seek more power with a new status.

Hady

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