#4 Solving the noise problem (Bermuda)
In Bermuda, I had developed a reputation for bringing resolution to ongoing dispute. as a result, the police dispatcher will send me to those problems that the other officers had tried and could not bring resolutions to. It was a Sunday evening, I had as my partner PC Diamond, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Diamond was a Sergeant of Police, who spent most of his policing career gathering intelligence. On this occasion, I was Diamond's senior. I did not know about my partner's general policing ability, for in just under less 10 years of policing in SVG, I have never seen Diamond in police uniform, and I never knew about Diamond policing until I worked as an intelligence officer.
A call came over the radio to my unit, and we were dispatched to a loud music report in the vicinity of Mission Corner in the City of Hamilton Bermuda. There was an ongoing dispute, which involved neighbors. a couple had Just invested in a new two story house, on the Junction. This was one of the trouble area, in the city of Hamilton. The neighbor had a large Yard that bordered with the new homeowners house. However; the neighbor had a weed (Marijuana) operations going on, on their premises. They play loud music, while they sell liquor and weed. Their operations is a night operation.
under the cover of darkness, was when the music is turned on, and business get rolling. All this was unknown to me at the time of dealing with the incident. When we arrived to the scene of the incident, the couple who made the report was nowhere to be seen. They did not want to get involved in their own report and help to bring a solution to their problem. However, I wanted to know, what was the nature of the report. I heard the music and it was not, particularly loud, comparatively speaking. But to exist in such condition seven days a week, is asking too much of anyone even me.
I knocked on the door. and after some time a couple eventually came out, and explained what they were going through and what they had to deal with, on a nightly basis. I could hear the frustration in their voices. They had just completed the house and they had never, spent a quiet night in their new home. It was almost impossible to hear the TV the wife said to give us an idea of the magnitude of their problem. They had also called the police repeatedly with no redress to their problem.
The music was loud and coming from a building in the yard. The yard was pitched dark, I could not see anything in the yard but I could smell the strong aroma, of the dry Ganja (Marijuana) leaves when lit, coming at me. The Yard has two large gate both of which were open. I confidently said to the couple, don't worry; I will take care of this problem tonight. You will not have any more problem with these people from tonight I said. I open the driver side door, I said: "Diamond lets go" Diamond got into the car. I saw an eruption of disbelief on the couples faces. As if to say, you just give us your word that you are going to fix our problem tonight; why are you leaving.
I give the confused couple a reassuring smile and they looked back at me, even more confused than when I first re-entered the car. Diamond fixed his seat belt, unaware of what my plan was, I started the marked police vehicle, the Bermuda Police Service vehicles are equipped with first class emergency roof system. Apart from the flashing lights there are front spot lights, rear spot lights, left and right side spot light, all of which has very bright illumination. In addition to those; there is an external driver side manually operated spot light. I had spent many hours trying to figure out how to operate every feature in the emergency system; now I knew it like the back of my hand.
Now it was time for some actions. I turned on all of the spot light on the car, and I drove into the yard, when, Diamond realized what was happening; in a panic and in naked Vincy dialect he said: "boy Palmer way yo doing" I said to him: "We are serving the people's problems, that is what we are being paid to do". I stop the car in the middle of the now well illuminated yard; and I immediately
i got out of the car. There were small groups of people all over the yard, lean up smoking, some had beers in their hands as they drank and smoke.
Surprised by the sudden police intrusion, they all froze in their last action. By this time Diamond had also disembarked the vehicle. In a laughing mocking manner, I said, Ahhh, It look like Marijuana is now legalize in Bermuda. Then I said don't worry, we did not come for you all; We are here on other business. I said the first thing I want the music turned off. A female voice said turn down the music, I said "I want the music turned off. Who run this operation, the female and her son came out to me, speaking full Bermudian. After I lay down the law, I told the woman she can turn on the music now. Then I had the couple determined the level of volume they thought was reasonable for their comfort. When they agreed on a level of Music, I said to the home grown DJ; turn it down a notch more and he did.
Then the lady broke character, and she went into full Jamaican twang, hoping she can intimate me. I then said, "YOU JAMAICAN ME VINCENTIAN ME NA FRAUD YOU!" she threatened my with Obeah and I responded to her threats with the most confidence. I added; as a matter of fact, I am giving the man my personal number, even if I am not on duty, and he calls me and complaint; I will put on my uniform, and come just to take you to court. I then left and that was the end of that problem. There was never another complaint from that location.
STORY #3.
I was assigned South Western Police District assigned the the Biabou Police Station. One of my colleagues was investigating a matter that was made by a man with a history of mental illness, it was either wounding or assault bodily harm against one of the popular young person in the Greggs community.
My colleague recorded a "dud statement," the supervisor review the report and did not make anything about the report. My colleague intention was to, sit on the report for a few months, then summit same, recommending complainant take civil actions, which would have deprived the injured man of his day in court, and have a criminal on the streets not paying for his crime.
The people of Greggs Village had confidence in my integrity and knew no matter who the accuse was, I will always do what is right. Members in the community told the young man's mother to request, I look into the matter for her and I did at her request. After a discussion with Sgt. Ashley Francis he handed the case over to me, I scrapped and then retook the complaint statement, restarted the investigations, had the suspect arrested taken before the court and justice was served, the so-called "crazy" young man received Justice. He was no longer picked upon and abused because they were poor and the police refused to do their job.
Now the community knew that his reports are taken serious regardless of his pass mental history.
STORY #2.
When I was transformed to Chateaubelair Police District and Station, The people of Chateaubelair made me feel at home, The people of Chateaubelair embraced me like I was a long lost prodigal son that has just returned. This may be so, because in the 50s and the 60s Chateaubelair was my father stomping ground, and quite a few people there still remembered and loved him. In the 70s my big sister Chrisceda Palmer work at the Canadian Save the Children fund early childhood facility in that town, and in the 80s my sister Clare Palmer was the nurse in charges of the Chateaubelair Health Center. Now in 2000, or there about, I was serving the community in the capacity of a police officer.
Very soon into my stint in the rural North Windward community I quickly became crossed threads with some dangerous men from the illegal drugs community in Chateaubelair and Pittibordel who threatened to take care of me, and this was not a good thing. I had my jaw bone fractured while in the process of appending a so-call crazy man, I had stood up to one of the None Commissioned Officers (NCO) who try to disrespect some honest law abiding citizen, by humiliating three of their sons who were to appear before the court, etc. I was not in charged but I was fair to all and therefore demonstrated my fairness as a police officer, ensuring everyone were treated equally, and they were not denied their rights.
However, at the time I was pursuing a program in Addiction Studies at the University of the West Indies, campus in Kingston St. Vincent, I had to commute back and forth three times a week, to get to and from class. The authority thought it will be better if I was moved closer to the campus, which resulted in my transfer.
On the morning of my transfer, while I was having breakfast; one of my colleagues said Palmer did you see what is happening outside, I said no then he said come and see something here. When I went to the door of the Police Station and look outside, I saw an assembly of a small protest, of about 15 – 20 adults; the protesters did not have any placards; however they were voicing their opinion. I can hear them say: every time we get a good police in the area, you all always moving them, “why all yo moving Palmer, why ‘all yo’ don't move James”, one of the protesters shouted their dissatisfaction with one of my Colleagues, then came an eruption of voices all in agreement “yeah, move James.”
I was shock and happy that the impact I had on the Chateaubelair community in my short stint there, was as such to merit such a response. I did not know how to deal with this new occurrence; all I could have done was too helplessly push up my shoulder, and give them the facial expression, that it is out of my control. After which, I was hurried out of the Chateaubelair Police Station by the NCO in charge, and left for Central Police Station.
What was most surprising to me, was in the small crowd of people who had staged the protest, in front of the Chateaubelair Police Station, there was a particular man in the crowd; one whom was considered a town character. Interestingly, I have never spoken to this man, but always give a friendly smile, and a nod of my head, when I pass him on the streets, he was not just in the small crowd, of people that gathered at the Chateaubelair Police Station; but he was expressing his displeasure at my transfer in clear cohesive language; not dirty words as he was known for. I did not know the man was so articulate, until that very moment when I heard him in the crowd. The thoughts of this incident make me emotional also. It is always a good feelings when the people you have served express their gratitude for your efforts.
STORY #1.
I was on investigation duties in Greggs Village; I drove to the end of the Greggs Main Road, in search of information about a particular suspect. There was a very poor old woman who was living in a house in that area, I knocked on her door, to solicit information; she came to the door to see whom it was. She was one of the elderly women that witnessed me in action against the three young men with the Marijuana cigarette.
On seeing me, she said in Vincy dialect: “Officer Palmer ah you. Come in Palmer don't fraud, Me na have much but you can still come in.” unfortunately; she was not understating the reality with her words. She pulled up a bench and she said Palmer have a seat. I walked into that beautiful and kind lady’s home like I was just invited into the governor's mansion, I took a seat on the bench that she provided and we chat for a while. She did not have any information to help my investigations but I kept her company just for a while.
After a while, the woman said to me Palmer, I just made some chicken boiling, I was just going to eat some, would you like some. Trying to be polite and not to spoil my visit with the lady, and the fact that I had eaten only a little while ago. I said naaa, I don't want to rob you. She said: “no Palmer, I have more than enough.” I sense that it was important to the lady to be kind to me. I now walk over to the area in the house where my new old friend cooked, I looked into her pot, as if I lived in the humble dwelling, I said ok let me have two bananas, a chicken wing and some gravy. The beautiful old soul, share her dinner with me giving me just what I asked for. After which, we sat in her humble home and we chat and eat together. As a police officer; I was popular in Greggs community, and was known as a no nonsense police officer. I sense that it meant a lot for this Lady to have me in her home and entertained me. I was only too happy to obliged her.
I became emotional when I was writing this because, this old lady in her poverty felt confident enough, to invited into her humble home and offer me a meal, knowing that I would not look down on or scorn her humble dwelling. Of all the courageous and adventurous things I have done as a police officer this is the moment in my fourteen years policing experiences I am most proud of.
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