Cops admit knocking down cyclist
(CNS): Despite denials to Cayman News Service days after the incident by an RCIPS spokesperson at George Town police station, the police have now admitted that an RCIPS marked car hit a cyclist in downtown George Town on 1 August. According to reports on News 27 on Wednesday police are investigating one of their own. A police officer has been suspended from driving police vehicles after crashing into the cyclist on North Church Street, near the offices of Cayman Real Estate. The car was said to be heading towards West Bay when it struck a 36 year-old-cyclist going in the same direction.
The police driver also hit a parked car on the road. The cyclist was treated at the hospital for injuries to his head and body. He was discharged three days later.
Although CNS contacted George Town police in the days following the incident as a result of calls from the public we were told that the police had no reports of any incidents involving a cyclist on 1 August.
Category: Local News
Yes, to some of the comments, the police are hard to trust, yet they expect us trust them, and not take the law into our own hands. One of my past aspirations was to become a police officer like,my sis,two cousins and grand father and even they are constantly discouraging me from ever applying,because of the lack of trust in the system and all the bull they’ve put up with.They really didn’t have to do much discouraging, because I got a taste of just how unreliable they are a few years ago. I was at the texaco on walkers road next to wendy’s about 9pm, getting gas after school. As I was leaving I locked my car doors and drove to the exit. As I was waiting for an oppurtunity to leave,a guy came out from behind the palm trees and started screaming at me and jerking at my door handle,telling me to open the f-ing door. Now I was royally pissed and started screaming at him and pulled out a small knife I had left in my car and revved up my engine as if I was gonna run him over. He let go the handle and took off running just as a pump attendant came outside. I drove home as fast as I could not wanting to wait around the area late at night, and told my mother and my sis what happened. She said call it in and report it although I know for a fact they are not going to do anything to help you. I was appalled that she would saying something like that, but it turned out that she was absolutely right. I called in and got an officer with not one once of concern or urgency in her voice and not wanting to help. During the course of placing my report, the woman put me on hold six times before I could finish, then asked me the same questions over again as if my report would change somehow and took the directions to my house and that officers were coming out to take fingerprints off my car. I got a call 20minutes later from officers asking directions to my house again and asking the same questions again and how i managed to escape unharmed.I told them what I had to tell them including that I had a knife. They asked me if I knew it was illegal to have a knife in my car and that I could be arrested. I said yes, but I’m not removing it because I can’t depend on them and they can arrest me if they wanted. They finally said they already left and was on their way. Another 10mins passed and I see a police car cross my road, so I called back the station to tell the woman that a car crossed and to tell them to turn back.She said ok and hung up. I sat outside and waited for another 30mins until I got pissed once again and called the station to ask what the hold up was.She said they are on their way ,by that time another police cruiser passed. I finally told her to tell them not to bother coming to my house because they are too unreliable . She said ok and and that she would put it on the report. That’s why I no longer have confidence in them no matter how hard I try to think otherwise.
Their incentives are largely the money and allowances and being given oppurtunities to abuse authority, like speeding down the middle lanes with sirens blazing knowing full well there is no emergency they are tending to, they just want to get in front of everyone and get where they want to go, like a couple months ago,I was heading to town and I saw this police car speeding down the middle lane to get ahead of the traffice, so I decided to memerize the license plate number. Low and behold I reach shedden road and where is the same police car?…..at Popeyes in the drive thru line!!!! Seriously that’s the emergency!?! , and only 3 weeks ago, during 5 o’clock traffic on crewe road next to palm dale 3 cruisers are parked on the side of the road to chat to fellow officers, laughing and giggling and heehawing while obstructing traffic with one of their cars completely in the left lane forcing people to swerve around,slowing traffic down even more. I swear their uniforms are outfitted with egoboosters, so they feel almost above the law and can do what they wish,which is to come to work and have an unevenful shift and hope they don’t have to do anything. It’s really sat that these are the people our safety is entrusted with.
It is disappointing that the police did not take this issue of your improper use of a knife more seriously. Criminality begats criminality.
OF COURSE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN WE KNOW THIS WITHOUT A DOUBT, MY ONLY QUESTION IS WHY DID THEY DISOWN IT, THIS WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT. AND BY THE WAY HOW IS THE CYCLIST DOING.
Too many police are bad examples as drivers, period!…and their attitude with talking on cell phones while driving around and not indicating, or indicating incorrectly is why people are so fed up and untrusting of them.
Last week i witnessed a minor accident at the Jaques Scott intersection…one car collided into the rear of another at the stoplights, barely moving and obviously no damage to speak of. The police car was behind this in the same lane…instead of turning on his blue lights "behind" the minor accident and getting out of his vehicle to investigate (was anyone intoxicated etc)…he put on his blue lights and pulled alongside the accident (in the other lane) and blocked both lanes while he talked (from inside his aircoditioned car) to the accident drivers (and put his cell phone conversation on hold)…myself and others behind this lunchtime gridlock finally began to honk our horns after the lights had turned from green to red and back to green, then red agian. The police finally got the message and grudgingly moved ahead…then continued his phone call, leaving the accident behind…and none the wiser as to why the accident had happened (was anyone intoxicated?… valid driver or vehicle licences?…roadworthy vehicle?…insured vehicles/drivers?) All while causing unneccessary inconvenience to dozens of other drivers.
The police are to expect to be held to a higher standard…they and our politicians especially are expected to lead by being positive examples.
And "some" are…but unfortunately the many now are not!…including those at the top…and to then have what amounts to be a policy of deny, deny, deny…only causes more and more distrust.
It is so so so true what you are saying. cell phone thing I see at lease 4 times a day. They really should shut their mouth when it comes to passing judgments and tryin to pass law.
Way to go RCIPS! Great way to re-build public confidence and support!! Accidents will happen to anyone but denying this type of event is comparable to a hit-and-run offender – essentially trying to avoid culpability.
What a poor example! Whomever within the RCIPS who facilitate this attempted cover-up should be disciplined even more seriously than the officer who was driving.
Another point is that that stretch of road is very dangerous & slippery when wet. I know of 2 separate incidents where cars doing 15-20 mph have braked (not hard) & gone in to unconrolled skids as if on ice. The road needs resurfacing & warning signs saying slippery when wet hazard.
As a former cyclist in this Island and having been a part of the original Cayman Islands Cycling Association, I can truthfully say that cyclist get NO RESPECT or regard when on these roads. I’ve been in my share of accidents, all of which were due to motorist who just have complete disregard for the cyclist. ANY law enforcement officers that is involved in ANY sort of accident should be able to resolve the matter fairly well and also take his/her share of the blame/responsibility.
The officer didnt mean for the accident to take place, but it was raining that day and like everyone else driving on wet roads know that no matter how careful we are things can happen and she could do anything to stop the accident. she is human just like us.
Remember….Police are human too,and accident can happen to anybody.
we need to be more consious about what we write and not critize on every aspect. Nowhere in the world we can be safe without crime,accidents etc… it just a recession which has ruined peoples mind, and hatred for each other. lets keep the Cayman Island paradise a better place.
Times are hard……….. Stand united.
Going church is not everything,following the rules of God,what it means.
Police and all law enforcers are held to higher standards. They cannot plead ignorance of the law when they are employed and trained to uphold the law (take the recent Levers saga as an example). Yes they’re human, but some are also very reckless and silly at times too, behaviour not befitting law enforcement officers.
Considering how they are supposed to enforce traffic laws too, I witnessed two astonishing incidents in town only this week. The first, a police car in the left lane, turning left but indicating right at the Smith Road/Bobby Thompson Way fourway, which caused a bit of confusion to other drivers who were clearly hesitant that the police car might turn right in front of them. (The policeman clearly was oblivious to any of this and engrossed in a converstion with his female counterpart); and the second, a police car indicating left, in the left hand lane, and turning right at a roundabout on North Sound Road right in front of an SUV travelling straight ahead and in the correct lane. Worst still were the angry looks the policeman gave the SUV driver, when the policeman was actually the one in the wrong!
Would somebody teach the police the traffic laws before sending them out to enforce them on us please?
Huh? I beg your pardon? What does God have to do with all of this? Where does recession come into play?
The cop caused an accident. The RCIP covered up. Not a good thing. End of story. Besides, we are not as safe as we used to be. Not with all the gun violence and robberies going around these days.
Hard to deny it when in happened in the middle of downtown GT, presumably in front of witnesses.
But it makes me wonder what else the police get up to when witnesses are not around.
My only response is- can it be anything worse than what the politicians get up to, even when the public is wide eyed and watching? The police may have their shortfalls but the politicians are doing more to effect the lives of Caymanians in a negative way.
This might explain a lot about why the young people in this country are so damn confused about what is going on…does anyone think that they are blind and deaf and don’t see and hear what is going on in this country??
Politicians lie, cheat and steal and NOTHING is done…these are the people who are supposed to be our LEADERS…
Things occur within the police and the are denied and denied until they are discovered and then the police act like it is no big deal…these are the people we entrust with our SECURITY…
UNTIL the people who are supposed to be ROLE MODELS are held to a higher standard, a TRULY higher standard, then you can forget trying to lecture to the younger persons in this country…Parents have it hard enough trying to keep their children on the straight and narrow path and out of the path of tempatation and that acts have consequences and things like this only stand to teach the childre that you can do things with impunity and then lie to cover it up…and there are NO consequences…does anyone else see why we are losing our youth???
I’m sorry for what happen to this officer becasue it could have happen to the best of us but these officers should have to pay for when ever they mash up or hit this patrol cars out of there own pockets becasue i’m not sure home many of you have notice but some of these cars look as if they been thru war and back more dents and scraps and may be if they had to pay for them they mite take care and drive them more careful than what they do.
it’s a big deal because the police lied about its occurrance- it appears since the perp is one of their own, they tried to sweep it under the rug. it’s not that it happened, it’s how the authorities dealt with it afterwards. no report of an accident that day? come on, now.
oh, sorry…didn’t see that it was being covered up. Guess I should not comment on articles until my eyes are open (I am awake). I thought it was just that the officer was in an accident. Ahh…now I see.
No matter whose fault it was, where is the accident report??
And why did they try to deny it?
So, once again the RCIPS have been caught lying to try and cover up something one of their officers did, and David Baines wonders why public confidence in the RCIPS is absolutely non-existant???
So the police lied? The very people we are supposed to truth?
You sound surprised. It’s not the first time and sure it won’t be the last.
not surprised…their standard of driving and non-use of indicators is disgraceful……
The cops are the worst drivers, because they think that because they are the law they can drive at any speed they want. I think they should fall under the same law as we civilians. LOL!!
As law enforcement officers, I actually think they should be held to higher standards than the public.
They do.
Don’t forget talking/texting while driving! if it weren’t so dangerous and a bad example to set for other drivers, it would be almost laughable!
Also, the random use of sirens….many times its superfluous!! Sad when you see the same cop who just sped by lights & sirens ablaze then pulling into a strip mall or fast food place….disheartening!
Yes- police are human but when they are on the job, above all else, they should be examples of upstanding citizens following the letter of the law!
And those who do use indicators often get it the wrong way around, LOL! No jokes – they do!
This was an unfortunate accident and could happen to ANYONE! However, the elitist mentality with which some of the RCIP officers walk around here, often leads to magnified criticism by the very people they are sworn to protect (not saying that THIS officer is like that – I do not know who she is).
Many of the police in Cayman have this attitude of superiority with their chests puffed out and this long stare down the end of their nose at the "little civilians". They break some of the laws they are meant to uphold!
I see countless officers drive by me with cell phones glued to their ears.
Just a few weeks ago, my husband was attempting to pull out of a side road but his view was obstructed by a police car that had pulled onto the side of the road to chat to a female pedestrian. When my husband finally ventured far enough out into the road to see he pulled alongside the policeman and told him that he was obstructing the view and it was not safe. The policeman (a foreigner of course!) gave him a look meant to melt diamonds and told him to drive on. My husband repeated himself more firmly and the officer told him in a very threatening tone to once again drive on.
I tell the story only to say that until there is more oversight of how these officers conduct themselves on the road then there is always the risk of them having the same accidents as civilian drivers. The only difference between us and them is the uniform and pretty flashing lights!
As for the denial of the report to CNS, that is a typical approach to handling a situation for the government. Deny deny deny!
I hope the victim is ok and suggest she gets her pound of flesh – – – which us poor Caymanians will once again have to pay for.
I’m not sure why this is such a big issue unless the police office is found that he was driving under the influence or driving reckless. Everyone can have an accident and on the small, sometimes overgrown and dark roads in GC, it is very possible.
It’s an issue because, it highlights the fact that they tried to cover it up, duh! Why would they try to do that if it was an accident. They didn’t come out and say that now did they, atleast they could have said that it was an accident and apologized. Aren’t these the same cops that are appealing for witnessess for several hit and run ‘accidents’ as we speak?
But not everyone would lie about it – and this behaviour is simply not acceptable within the police force. That’s why the big issue – amazed you can’t see it yourself.
I feel saddened about the cyclist that received injuries in the accident, also for the other party, but we also need to realize that Police men and women are not Batman or Superman, or from another planet.. Police officers can get into accidents too, because those things can only be controlled by the almighty God. Dont care how good a driver we think we are, it can happen to anyone.
If it was the officer fault then I am sure will be told it was his fault, and not made to feel, that because he is a Police Oficer this not suppose to happen to him..
I am not protecting the police, I am just being fair, because I know police like every one else can cry too. However some people will never forget that traffic ticket and hate police for ever, and to the Ex Police Officers, I say these few words "Once a Cop, always be a cop".
"If it was the officer fault then I am sure will be told it was his fault, and not made to feel, that because he is a Police Oficer this not suppose to happen to him…"
Twyla, the officer drove into a parked vehicle – who else could be at fault?
Rain, oil on the road, a tire blow out? We just don’t know. In the end it is amazing to me that we come on here and are quick to pass judgement without knowing the facts.
I think once the facts are published then there should be suitable punishment. All the same, it is mystifying that they never just admitted the incident and issued a statement on it. That is what is truly disturbing.
I am not saying that if that is the way it happened she was not at fault. I am merely saying that anyone can get into an accident.
Why dont you Pickout some of the positive things in my comment and cut and paste. I bet you would not do that. What a tangle web we weave, when we ourselves we must deceive.
Superman and Batman……
just a couple quick points here, maybe a little off the subject, but a good time I believe to point out:
Batman is a regular human (though fantastically wealthy and handsome), he just uses technology and some super ninja devices for his crime fighting prowess.
Superman truly does have super powers within him. I don’t believe he is ‘human’ and he is from another planet.
My opinion: I would like to believe that neither one of them would deceive the public for a less than skillful mishap, unless it was for the greater good of mankind.