PSC cops out sex probe

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The Police Service Commission (PSC) has reportedly been instructed not to investigate allegations that a senior male police officer has been making unwanted sexual advances towards his male subordinates.

A source close to the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal, said the PSC met with Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Monday and he rubbished the claims and does not support an investigation.

The source said that Browne pointed out that the complaints from the three junior ranks and an applicant to the force are not “official” because they were not reported as crimes to the police and it is one person’s word against another.

Based on the letters of complaint in OBSERVER media’s possession, two of them were written on official police statement forms.

When contacted yesterday about the latest allegation that he has silenced the PSC, the prime minister told OBSERVER media that if the source cannot stand by the claims, then he has no comment to make. In other words, he would not comment if the source’s identity is not revealed.

Earlier, both the prime minister and Minister of Public Safety, Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin, confirmed that they are aware of at least one report of sexual impropriety.

Browne had also told OBSERVER media the matter is one for the Commission to address and he downplayed the complaints as mere allegations which can be made by anyone.

Yesterday, the source who provided an update on the PM’s meeting with the Commission, said that meeting came hours after the PSC met with Benjamin the same day.

And, the source said some of the members of the PSC left the meeting with Benjamin confident that a probe would have been conducted and they would proceed using an independent investigator. The source said it was also decided that before taking a step forward, they would meet with the prime minister.

Efforts to reach Benjamin for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the source who disclosed the details of the meeting with Benjamin, also revealed that the PSC commissioners, seven of them, met at the law office of its Chairman, Kelvin John on Monday, before going to see Benjamin and PM Browne.

John could not be reached for comment yesterday. Efforts to reach him since last week when our newsroom broke the story about the complaints, have been unsuccessful.

(More in today’s Daily Observer)

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