Cops with convictions remain

| 17/12/2014

(CNS): The firestorm following the recruitment of a now convicted murderer to the RCIPS has raised a long standing public complaint that the police have a history of failing to check the background of those recruited to the service. The police commissioner recently confirmed that at least one other serving police officer was recruited with at least one criminal conviction. The prison service has committed to reviewing every one of its employees after it discovered recently that one of its officers was a registered sex offender. But even though there are concerns that others with a questionable history may be on the police payroll, there has been no indication that the RCIPS management will be doing any kind of review.

Commissioner David Baines recently confirmed that an officer is working in the RCIPS who was convicted at least once with possession of a significant amount of ganja before joining the service.

Baines said that although this was a spent conviction, which means that enough time had elapsed that it was no longer taken into account for legal purposes, police officers, like a number of other public servants, are obligated to reveal all past convictions, regardless of how old. In this case the officer, who remains on staff, did not do so. In 1996, two years after he was recruited, the officer was, Baines said, the “subject of a disciplinary inquiry by the then Deputy Commissioner of Police, who recognized the failing had occurred with no overseas vetting procedures being undertaken.”

The commissioner said this led to a review of recruitment practices. The chief inspector of the training department was advised of the failings and the RCIPS application form was amended to ensure all convictions, including spent convictions, are revealed in an application.

CNS cannot name the officer in question because the police commissioner said we would be committing an offence if we did.

The officer was reportedly spoken to about his failure to reveal his past criminal record as it was a spent conviction, it was “determined that he should be retained by the RCIPS”, Baines said, and he remains in office to date.  

The commissioner also confirmed that he had, since taking up the top job at the RCIPS, dismissed another officer who was appointed to the RCIPS with a previous convictions and had served time at HMP Northward.

“Whilst his appointment was prior to my arrival in the Cayman Islands, I discharged him whilst in his police probationary period as being unlikely to make an effective police officer,” Baines added.

Over the years allegations of officers from Jamaica and elsewhere arriving in Cayman with a chequered history are not uncommon and there are concerns that the RCIPS is still not conducting the level of background checks the public wants to see when it comes to those entrusted to enforce the law. The complaint, however, is not confined to the police, prison or other law enforcement agents but across government and in the private sector as well.

The recruitment of people to Cayman from all over the world leaves the jurisdiction vulnerable, with the credibility of police clearance certificates from overseas, references and other alleged credentials rarely checked. There is a widely held perception in the community that as a result of the weaknesses in background checks, overseas recruits serving in position of trust in both the private as well as public sectors with a questionable and even criminal past is not uncommon.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    THIS IS A SHAME

    We have Caymanians that have applied with clean records and can’t get a job with RCIPS yet a criminal can. This is horrific. Cayman it is time to stand up and be accounted for. We have to get up close and personal

  2. Anonymous says:

    Ok ! If this is what is happening with public sector law enforcement can any of you imagine what or Who? is in the private sector.

    • Anonymous says:

      The RCIPS is known for hiring expat criminals, yet when the Caymannian applies for a job, they aretold they do not meet the requirements because of past infractions.  

       

      I encourage every Caymanian to get busy and do the job that Immigration and the RCIPS has failed to do, through whatever means/source to do background checks on employees.  Get a copy of the official Civil List, which gives the following:- department, name, date of birth, nationality,  and start your own investigation.  Let's weed out the evils that are condoned, and employed by our gate keepers.

       

  3. Anonymous says:

    "Cops with Convictions Remain"

    "Cops Getting Convictions Don't"

  4. Anonymous says:

    excuse me please ! explain how law breaker are hired in cayman to uphold the law ??

    they should just get anotehr job , not in any way related to law enforcment  ! am i wrong ?

    we don't hire sex offender as babysitters , or do we ?? 

    • Anonymous says:

      16;17 ask the Governor and Baines, if they would like to hire a sex offender, murderer or pedophile for their baby sitter?  They should be happy to respond.

      The people who are supposed to proctect us leave a lot of suspicion as to their genuineness.  Are we going to sit back and take their undercover, secret mood of deception?  No!  It is time for us to hit the pavement. 

      When you have a new pair of shoes that starts to pinch and hurt, you have to kick it off. Start thinking about the wolves among us in sheep's clothing.

  5. Anonymous says:

    But this same officer is expected to bring to justice those who deal in drugs here on the island. Talk about double standards. If a Caymanian makes one mistake and he/she is exempted indefinitely from the workforce.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Why is it that I Can Not get a work permit to work in the Cayman Islands as a bartender if my Police Clearence Record shows that I have unpaid parking tickets yet a the Police of your Island can hire "officers" with Murder and Rape on their records???  Get your pitch forks people and take your country back!

  7. Anonymous says:

    And a big part of the problem is that even now the immigration and other authorities are not requiring foreign nationals coming to the Cayman Islands or applying for immigration permissions to disclose spent convictions, even though our laws require it.  Any semblance at keeping our borders secure from foreign criminals has long been a charade. One person whose fault this is not, however, is Baines! 

    • Anonymous says:

      Spent convictions are just that.

      The person has behaved appropriatly for the required time as set by the country of the offence. In most cases it is a reasonable time 7 -10 years. If you do a background search on them it will not come up. If you ask the police force in that country it will say no record.

      Remember spent convivtions are generally minor on the scale of things.

      Murder, rape, armed robbery etc. are never spent.

      Some places anything under 1 year in carceration can be spent.

      You can't say once a crimnal always a criminal. We all know we have committed crimes (think customs duty, speeding, that pencil from work) but we are not hardened habitual criminals or in any way a danger to society. Most people with spent convictions arn't either.

      Caught for a spliff, drank underage, stole some makeup. Are these people to be discarded from society?

      So much for Caymankind.

       

      • Anonymous says:

        Read the Law. They are spent for domestic employment purposes, not crossing borders.

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s up to their society what they do. Mine simply wants and desreves and is entitled to know all the information before deciding whether to let them become a part of this one.

  8. Legal Smeagol says:

    Stands to reason. RCIP are not well known for investigative powers.

    BUT it is not the CoP's fault or responsibility. With real leadership comes no personal liability for poor management.

    The underlings are to blame.

     

  9. Sucka Free Cayman says:

    Caymanians go foreigners stay simple get over it Star!!!!! This is how life goes here in the UK's Territories Hush up ya big mouth before yu loose ya JOB!

    • Anonymous says:

      and its not only in the civil serve that it happens!!

      • Anonymous says:

        Not all but the majority of those who come to work here, believe they must occupy every job.  We need to make a statement like none other has up been made before.  Let them understand they can't push you in a corner and get away with it.  Rise to the challenge and make that profound statement once and for all.  The time is NOW.

        Let the headline read, " They have take The Cayman Islands back".  It is time for Action

    • Anonymous says:

      @SUCKA FREE CAYMAN-Why dont you go back to where you come from?!Clearly cayman has alot more to offer than your country and cayman is for *CAYMANIANS* some of you foreiners wants to come here and hate on the locals because yall cant take control of the cayman islands and yall wants to be on top of everyone and you woudnt have anything if it wasnt for cayman because it seems like you coudnt make anything where you come from thats why you had to come here you racist scum!!

      • Anonymous says:

        10.54…just a little teeny weeny technical point, we as Brits, well how can I put it?, technically we own this rock…so (technically you will understand) you are British citizens of the British overseas territory of  The Cayman Islands. Caymanians technically also dont exist for the same reason. QED, you don't exist. So please stop writing drivel. You are a figment of my imagination.

        Lets see who bites.

        • Anonymous says:

          Forever more i will be CAYMANIAN.

           

          I write/say this with so much pride the people in YOUR country can feel/hear this.

           

          I am Caymanian to the bone…salted and flavored with coconut milk buddy 😉

           

          Go be a sour bite elsewhere mate!!

           

          p.s – To all the OTHER "owners of these islands" – TEST your luck in the streets and you WILL see. 😉 

           

          #donetalking