Police officers are raising concern about being threatened by members of the public.
Detective Constable David Barnett, Chairman of the Police Welfare Association Committee (PWAC) said they are "disturbed by news of threats and assault on our officers who continue to execute their duties without fear to keep the Turks and Caicos Islands safe".
Barnett said the year 2019 saw "unprecedented numbers of assaults and threats of serious harm against our members who continue to show restraint and remain professional in the face of adversity, poor working conditions and low wages".
He added: "As recently as this past weekend the PWAC has yet again learnt of another attack and threats against our members, which also extends to their families. We are disappointed with the response from many quarters which is silence. This silence is deafening when our officers are assaulted or threatened by hoodlums and those undesirables of society. As Chairman of the Police Welfare Association (PWA), I want to remind our members that self-preservation comes first and this PWAC will do everything in our power to defend and stand by our members who have used justifiable force to defend their life, the lives of their family and the lives of law abiding citizens of these beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands."
https://suntci.com/new-police-welfare-team-elected-p4065-129.htm
Detective Barnett said the association is committed to defend its members who have taken lawful actions to neutralize any threat faced by them, their family or members of the public.
Efforts to get a comment from the Commissioner of Police were unsuccessful, at the time of this report.
