I have been a police officer for less than a year yet, I had gained so much experiences and was embroiled in more controversy then a twenty years veteran police officer. I had to confront the biggest and baldest police officer in the SVG Police Force: Superintendent Mr. Crow, I had a group planned to kill me and was about to executed that plan; had it not been for some friendly interventions they would have tried. I got the big break through and was responsible for solving a series of Burglaries, which have been troubling the staff of Questelles Police Station for months. Yet; I was too naïve to notice that something was not normal or to ever once took an apprehensive looked over my shoulder.
I was dispatched to New Montrose Police Station on duty, I drove up Bedford Street, I noticed there was a commotion in the front of Bounadie Supermarket, I was between two decision, should I stop and address the matter, or should I continue on the duty, I was dispatched to perform. However, while I was driving pass contemplating what I should do; I was flagged down and asked to come and deal with the issue that was brewing within the Supermarket. The matter I was going to at the Old Montrose Police Station was not an emergency, as a result, and very inexperience on dealing with incidents as a police, I went into the store with the attitude: I will figure it out.
When I entered the store, I was shown a woman by the manager of the supermarket and I was told that she was found shoplifting and she is trying to leave the store before the police arrive. All crimes in the City of Kingstown were CID's responsibility to deal with. I asked the manager if he call the police before I came. He said yes, he also informed me that the CID person is on their way.
The lady had a motherly look, and she reminded me of my mother, who had been dead since I was seven years. I quickly pictured my mother in this unfortunate woman's situation and I shivered at the taught. I felt a great deal of compassion for the lady; however, I did not have the authority to forgive her actions. If I had that authority to so do, I surely would have.
The lady recognized the soft side in me, and she tried to take advantage of it. She said officer I did not steal anything, I cannot stay here, I have to get home. I try speaking to the lady to give her hope. I said to her, Listen to me lady, you have to wait until CID come to deal with the report. She took her hands and she pleadingly thumped me in my chest, I did not do anything, I have to leave. As she try to make her way out of the store.
I graciously and gently use my hand and moved her away from the door and back into the store. By this time the woman was crying and I was touched by the crying motherly looking middle age woman. As she cried, she said still pleadingly thumping me on my chest: “I am not staying here, I did not do anything.” I told her: "lady if you did not do anything, you have nothing to worry about, the truth will come out."
By this time, it seems like all of the shoppers in the store have stop their shopping and had gathered around to see what the commotion was all about. People were coming into the store just to see what was happening. Everyone wanted to know what was happening. I could hear the people asking what happened, as the tearful lady pleadingly thumped me on the chest telling me she is not staying and making her way to the door of the supermarket. By this time I had instructed to management to lock the supermarket door which he did. This will give me less physical police contact with the lady trying to keep her in the store.
The questions flew from the crowd of onlookers, what happened they asked unending questioning persist; as they were all searching for answers, to justify their presence and to keep the rumor mill turning over. I looked into the crowd, I saw some faces I often see going back and forth around Kingstown doing their business. There was one person, a member of the staff that I knew very well and she knew me very well also. I was happy to see someone whom I knew and who knew me personally. If thing get out of control, at lease, there is one person, I knew, to whom I can turn to for the truth about the incident, I was comforted by that thought.
The question of what happened was still coming from the crown. And then, I saw and I heard that person whom I knew the one I thought would have my back in the event wild accusation began to fly; spoke up to set the record straight. I heard her said in my presence, publicly, and with out hesitation she declared; "the woman, is pregnant and the officer punched her in her stomach." This story caught on, It took on a life of its own and began to circulated like wild fire right in my presence.
Everyone was relating the new fabricated story and there was nothing I could have done about it or to stop it. I could not defend myself because I still had my hands full with the lady who was reluctant to stay in the story and await CID officers who were on their way. My hope was shattered and I did not know how I was going to deal with this situation. This was new to me, I was swimming in extremely rough waters and in unfamiliar territory and I was being knocked about by the high tide.
And then, I say Superintendent (SOP) David Robin the Commandant of the Course Guard dressed in uniform, walking all erect and confident as he is always, entered the store. Immediately David Robin presence was felt. Commandant Robin's present brought an sense of resolution to the crowd. The lady somewhat modified her behavior, and the crowd calmed down at the presence of this highly respected Police officer. Now they were waiting to see what new twist this drama was going to take.
I was embarrassed and I was relieved at the same time to see the Commandant. I was embarrassed that the respected Superintendent, my childhood family friend came and found me in such a tumultuous situation; where some fabricated allegations of my actions had brought name and character into questioned. I could not defend myself against the speculations; even though the information was a fabrication of the reality. I was happy because at lease, here is someone, whom I knew all of my life and who can attest to my character. The difference between the commandant and the supermarket worker was; the Commandant was a dignified and respected man.
What most people don't know, is Superintendent David Robin's family and my family have been close friends for more than four generations. David Robin's grand father and father were very close friends with my father and we spent a lot of time together as kids. Every day after work, David Robin's father will drove his family to Bottom Town, where they will stop and spend some time with my father's shop before proceeding to their home.
At times, the stop will be to pick up David's grand father and grand mother, who after completing their business in Kingstown, will make their way to my father's shop to hang out with their friend Mr. Palmer: My father, until their beloved son finished working. There David's father will pick up his parents and they will go on their merry way home.
Like clock work, each year on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, the Robin will spend that day with my father; there David, his sister Andrea, me and my sister Andrea will spend quality hours together as children. This tradition continued until, the kids grew up and the Patriarch Mr. Robin die and my father die.
The Superintendent approached me and in a calm voice he said "Palmer what happened", Not forgetting his rank and the respect that goes along with his rank. I explained what happened. David said; OK Palmer, you go and complete your duty; I will deal with this issue. The commandant and the lady in question were from the same neighborhood and he knew her very well. I leave and that was the last thing I heard about that incident from a police prospective. I did not do anything wrong, so I had no need to look over my shoulder.
A week or two later, I went by the Search Light News Paper, when I get there, the secretary told me, Palmer Ms. Keizer will like to see you in her office. I went into Mrs. Keizer's office and after the formalities she said Palmer, one of my reporters wrote a story about you punching a pregnant women in her stomach in Bounadie's supermarket. Was that you or is there another Palmer they mixed you up with? She asked. I answer no they did not mixed me up with anyone, it was me. Then she asked; What was that all about? I did not remember reading that story; however, I knew I had some explaining to do.
I explained to Mrs. Keizer what happened and she said with relief. "I knew what was being reported does not match your character and personality. I run the story, but I could not in all honesty and with a good conscience print your name unless I had confirmed the incident. It would not have been right to do that and it is a good thing I made that call not to print your name with the story. I also guess that was why we did not hear anything about that again." she said in closing.
No comments:
Post a Comment