Mickey finds no cop policies

| 04/08/2010

Cayman Islands News, Grand Cayman Island headline news, Cayman freedom of information(CNS): A Freedom of Information request by Mickey Mouse to the RCIPS has found that the police do not appear to have any policies in place for informing the rank and file of their policies. In response to Mouse, the police said that officers are informed of RCIPS policies via email when necessary but that no documents existed covering how policies are imparted. Mouse also asked the RCIPS to reveal any documentation they had relating to police pursuit procedures. In the first instance Mouse was told the police did not hold any such documentation on the subject, but he was later informed that his request had been deferred and would be released on 30 August of this year in line with, ironically, new policies.

In his letter to Mouse, the police FOI officer Raymond Christian said that the RCIPS Contingency Planning Unit is currently reviewing all of the police policies and guidelines and indicated these would be available to the public at the end of the month.  
 
The issue of the RCIPS policy with regard to publishing policy documents has been raised in the media in Cayman a number of times for many years.
 
The question of police high-chase pursuits and its policy towards shooting out tyres during such incidences was raised some years ago when officers shot at the tyres of a car in George Town because the driver had refused to stop .
 
The incident took place in 2008 during the day and in a public area, which raised concerns about the danger posed to the public if it was police policy to shoot out tyres of fleeing suspects. At the time the RCIPS said an enquiry was underway into what had occurred but have never revealed the official position regarding the pursuit of suspects and if shooting out tyres was or was not allowed, nor has the outcome of that particular internal inquiry been revealed.
 
Other sources have confirmed to CNS that the police did have a pursuit policy which dealt with safety issues relating to the public, police officers and suspects during car chases.
 
In today’s Caymanian Compass, Angelique Howell, the head of the Contingency Planning Unit, is reported as revealing that “half the time” police officers did not know what policies were or where to find them. The goal, she said, was to put everything where everyone could find it.
 
 
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  1. Mis-Management says:

    Baines staff your HR Department properly so they can tell you which lane to take a the fork, when it comes to your staff and help you with some of those policies. Mickey and friends call on "tootle" to assist in times of trouble.  Repeat after me…. "OH TOOTLE". 

    Stop putting Caymanians in positions they are not qualified for. Just to appease Big Mac and his fries and to appear as if you care about the growth and development of Caymanians. R u really just trying to set them up to fail to make a point.One must first learn to walk before they can run.  

  2. Anonymous says:

    micky do not let them fool you, i was a police and i know that there was a policy in place concerning police pursuit. they are now trying to do another policy to show to the public at the end of the year. i do not know why they will not show the policy that they have at the time, and at the month they can show the new also. this is why the service will never be ant better   too much politics

  3. Anonymous says:

    You can not blame ex pats coming over to help the police for a few years and earn some tax free cash and enjoy the beach. If Cayman cannot offer enough suitable police officers then thats the way it is and will continue to be. Dont blame the ex pats who come to help us.

  4. Cayman Cop says:

    So it’s true they couldn’t organise a Knees Up in a Brewery!

  5. Anonymous says:

    what absolute rubbish of course these policies exist! this makes me so angry! No wonder the rcips spends half its time chasing its own tail!

     

    • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

      Of course its rubbish, but you’re absolutely wrong to believe the police when they call themselves the “Royal Cayman Police Service,” because Section 3 of the Police Law (2006 Revision) reads: “The Police Force shall continue in being subject to this Law and shall be called the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force.”

      So when you have a Commissioner of Police who can’t even get the name of the agency he works for correct, of course the public is being unreasonable. 🙂  Now the next thing the RCIPF will be telling us is that the Police Law doesn’t exist either!

      • Anonymous says:

        well that is being re-written too so maybe for now it doesnt exist?! LOL

        • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

          So for how long could you and I ignore laws before we’re arrested?

  6. Anonymous says:

    Explains a lot! Including  how they can charge people with civil matters.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I think Mickey Mouse should be taking the Police to court for breach of Copy Right Laws. Clearly the Police have been shown to be a Mickey Mouse Outfit.

  8. Anonymous says:

    http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=666267

    Here’s an interesting discussion of past and future RCIP’S Officers!

    • Pauly Cicero says:

      And that’s just the cops.

    • Charles B says:

      What an interesting read. You can see how the UK cops are thinking, i.e comming here for a few years in the sun and tax free money.

      But a few ex-cops post up the reality of working for the RCIP, and it’s not a pretty picture.

      I may sign up for the website and tell these would be cops what we expect from them! Who’s with me?

      • Anonymous says:

        If you read between the bitter posts of two ex RCIPS officers, there are still examples of ex pat police officers who are not bitter and have positive things to say.  XXXXX

         

        • Anon says:

          More than two from what I read…… The one that seems happy with life seems to have spent most of his time on courses rather than policing the streeta of Cayman.

    • Tell them . . . says:

      Seems to paint an accurate picture – increase in gang violence and gun use, perception of widespread corruption and frustration at section of local workforce spending more time on cell phone to lovers than working.  A very shrewd set of observations – the good old Bobby.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I strongy agree with the post "much love Mickey".Take your trained police officers out of offices and put them on the road, on the beat, out policing where they belong. Why is the FOI Officer a trained police. Do you understand that the ratio of police officers here in Cayman is far below the civillian population?

    One policy you need to enforce/erect is one in relation to your officers fratinizing with criminals.  After the death of a female officer not too long ago  and her apparent relationship with a known criminal, it is shocking to see how many officers still fratenize with criminals, pose in pictures with them on entertainment websites and own establishments where they entertain them.

    RCIP has always been a reactive force. More proactive measures need to be put in place.  Good officers I agree seem to be terrorized and the slackers encouraged.

     

     

  10. Para-Ann Springfield says:

    Brilliant, I think that you all should use this freedom of information thing to ask more questions of Government. Clearly asking for stuff forces them to get their act in order. It’s not necessarily playing the shame game, it’s more like a check and balance conducted by the people… i.e. democracy!

    For all of you who are concerned with anonymity and have a fear of reprisal, (which I think is greater in our minds than in reality); create an alias of your own or send it to Mickey to ask on your behalf. Clearly he is fearless.

  11. Mickey Mouse I Love You says:

    Much love Mickey, hopefully you can get Minnie and Donald and the rest of the crew to help you, because Baines and his mis-management are destroying the good cops, demotivating the fleet and destroying families all over this island. Baines your officers are well aware that you and your croonies are in charge there is no need for you to power trip. 

    RCIPS is over-riding laws with policies and bad policies(what policies they do have).  The government says on thing and the Commissioner says another.  With the frequent change of management comes a frequent change of policies, these poor officers don’t stand a chance. 

    Police Officers are police officers, there are not business majors. For one why is Angelique Howell involved in contingency planning. She’s a trained police officer.  The force needs to have more qualified individuals managing relevant and vital sections.  Just because it’s a police force does not mean Police officers have to run major sections. Let’s look at their structure:-

    Training:- where are the trained and qualified trainers. You bring specialized and trained police in to deomonstrate some training but your training officer does not have to be a police officer. Please Baines don’t cut the training budget.  Beg for more money because you need it. Start with dispute resolution skills for your senior officers, spruce up the management training. Since RCIPS keeps trying to make police officers managers. Take a page from the army or navy’s book. They fight wars but they train their men. Where is HR in all of this.  Who do these officers complain to? Your HR Department needs to be strong and some strong policies should be coming from this department to assist you in the welfare of your officers.  Who advocates for them? The Jamaican Force atleast has a sports day and encourages comrarderie, you encourage back biting, manipulation and disfunction amongst your men.  Not rocket science.

    Professional Standards – what a joke. They demotivate their officers everyday. You wonder why some many criminals get breaks and so many crimes go unnoticed.  Your officers are afraid to touch anything or deal with anything, because they fear being dragged over the coals by you.  Your policies and procedures need some serious revamping.  The staff in this section need proper training.  When complaints come in, investigate matters properly before you attack your officers and when you do approach your officers remain impartial. Take some classes in dispute resolution, conflict resolution. BTW what is the requirement for someone working in PSU? Should this department not be a separate and apart department.  How can police officers investigate police officers? Remember a good mother scolds her kids everyday and in less than 5 mins they still love her, they understand and they appreciate her more.

    Commissioner of Police:- Why do we always choose someone who has no experience with the west indian culture. Shouldn’t we look to hire at least an Englishman(since it has to be someone from England) who has been in the Caribbean before and shows a proven track record that he was effective. I read somewhere Baines is a dive enthusiast(is that why you’re here). I also heard you power trip once that you are here to clean up the force.  I can see that you are certainly working hard at that. Someone please have a look at how many officers this man and his team have terrorize since he’s been in charge.  I think you should work some of these crazy shifts you allow and see if Mrs Baines will still be around.  You are destroying families, messing up the family fabric of these islands. Carifta weekend was a prime example. I went to the games and wondered if i should stay because it appeared as if RCIPS had gotten word of a terrorist attack. Why can’t you police the streets like that. You showed the world you had manpower, please show us here in Cayman. Police the streets. Stop beating up your officers.

    Much love to you Mickey Mouse, you saved me many days when I was a kid, thank you for coming backinto my life and saving me again.  I thought i was the only one who saw how disfunctional RCIP is.  Lastly Baines and the crew, please remember these noble men and women choose this career, the criminals give them a hard time. Get some house rules proper rules and see how your house will  function.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Bravo Micky Mouse I.L.Y.

      You hav touched the I millionth exposure of the ice berg. There is much under the blanket and under the covers to be revealed but the brave ,honest  men and women of the RCIP will not risk their jobs by speaking out. The  Police Association is Muzzled and cannot adequately tackle the issues that affect their members. The way their position is described by the law which regulates the organization Gives very limited protection to officers.

    • Anonymous says:

      What on earth are you on about – this is the biggest load of bull that has appeared on this site for some time, and that is saying something!

      An issue here is why the RCIPS actually replied to Micky Mouse.  It should have gone straight in the bin.

  12. Anonymous says:

     Let’s remember why this is of particular hilarity:

     

    Mac attacks CNS and FOI

     

    Criticising the FOI law, however, Bush said that he had no trouble with transparency as people always knew what he was thinking and sometimes he got in trouble for that, but the FOI cost the country too much. Bush said Mickey Mouse could make a request and government had to waste its time answering Mickey Mouse without knowing who and what the information was for. “Instead of doing government business civil servants are writing back to Mickey Mouse,” he said.

    … and he was right.  Brilliant.  Just brilliant.

  13. Anonymous says:

    i heard mickey mouse wears a rcips wrist watch!

    • Rorschach says:

      Yes, That is true…the only problem is…half the time, he doesn’t know wether he should look at it or not…and when he does decide to look at it…he doesn’t know where it is….

  14. Anonymous says:

    You guys are hilarious. Keep up the good work Mickey, you will always be the leader of the club.

  15. Rorschach says:

    "Angelique Howell, the head of the Contingency Planning Unit, is reported as revealing that “half the time” police officers did not know what policies were or where to find them."

     

       WOW….are you freakin kidding me???   

    • Dred says:

      Actually this does not surprise me at all.

      I have seen their sheer genious in action. I was in a situation where we had about 7 or 8 officers maybe more in an area and it was like chickens with their heads cut off. No one had one iota of a clue what to do. The only thing they could do was to bark at the people telling them to do "something".

  16. Anonymous says:

    Bravo Mickey! The subject needs urgent clarification and attention, especially the car chase policy. I personally witnessed a chase back in 2008 (or early 2009) where 5 police cars (2 marked and 3 unmarked) were chasing a car which crashed near the Ritz Carlton killing two occupants. At the point that I witnessed the chase, near the Public Beach, one police car was literally riding the bumper of the car being chased and it is not inconceivable that a PIT manoeuvre resulted in the car leaving the road. Note, I am not making that accusation but from what I saw it was physically  possible to have been attempted. I am not aware if, to this day, despite being immediately behind the car, the RCIPS has indicated what their officers observed in relation to a possible cause of that crash.  I have not seen a coroners inquest report, not aware if there have been charges laid against the driver or if it has reached the Courts. Perhaps I missed all of this.

    In 2001, a young lady was killed in a crash on WB Road and it was confirmed that she was also being chased. Again, no accusations.

    However, this policy, as well as the RCIPS’ rules of engagement with respect to the use of firearms must be clarified and publicized.

     

  17. Anonymous says:

    John Public would be amazed if they know the iron clad "made up rules as you go along in that organization". Some are a disadvantage to the members but you can’t speak under the threat of discipline action against you. You take it or leave it. Don’t even talk about welfare because that don’t exist. I sincerely hope that one day there will be an inquiry into some things that are allowed to happen to some members of the service and you can’t talk about them even if they affect you adversely.There is no one to listen to you. Its one thing to have an official secret policy, and although some things cannot be revealed in the interest national security and The preservation  of law and order in the country , police officers are humans too and and equity and justice should prevail amongst its members first before they can have a good and transparent policy towards the public. I say no more "READ BETWEEN THE LINES" One day the revelations will  come out . I do not want to go ahead and start giving examples here but as they say, "one day, one day more than all". Luckly I will be free to express myself when that day finally comes around.

  18. Mickey Mouse, please give Government a break.  You almost gave Mickey Bush a heart attack, and now your spilling the Mickey Baines all over the place!

    This is not your Disney World where everything there is nice, clear, and transparent to see!

    :o) 

    • Anonymous says:

      wish there was a love button to push here!! ROFLMAO!

    • Anonymous says:

      Mickey Bush – wrong name.

      It is Mighty Mac to the downfall or was that supposed to be rescue! 

      We forgot, which is it?

  19. X-Pat says:

    Shall  I be the first to comment on the "Mickey Mouse" state of police affairs here onisland? Nope, better not- but thank you for the hilarious last sentence in paragraph one- made my day!