True Story: Who Give Inspector Charles a Heart Attack

It was only a few months into Ralph Gonsalves first term as Prime Minister, and he was sharing away promotion like crazy. He was fulfilling promises he made to people in order to get votes; one such person was Cornelius Charles. Cornelius Charles was a police officer and had the force number 313. Charles was a Sergeant of Police for many years before I became a police officer. Now, I had served eight years as a police officer and Charles was still a Sergeant of Police. Ralph Gonsalves, promoted Cornelius Charles, to inspector he was skipped Charles over the rank of Station Sergeant to inspector, and he put him in charge of the Traffic Department.

All this time, I was assigned to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, with specifically assigned duties to Justice Don Mitchell, High Court Judge. Inspector Cherry Lip Charles were transferred to the Traffic Branch with one of two objective, the first was to get me in trouble and the other was to pressure me into fear of him and submission to Ralph Gonsalves. This was going to be a very tall order, even for the man who was known to vie for the title of the greatest liar in the St. Vincent and the Granadines Police Force.

Charles was an old time police officer, he was nicknames Cherry Lip because of the disfiguration to his face, which included his eyes and lips. The Story was told, while Charles was a young police officer working at the traffic Branch riding the police big powerful motorcycles. Someone waited until he was coming at high speed, tied a chain across the road, which caught him and resulted in the disfigurement of his face.

This was so for the following reasons, many officer of senior rank, had tried this before and failed. Even the baddest man in the St. Vincent had the Grenadines Police Force: Superintendent Osborne Quow had tried and failed. I did not and do not care who they were, what position of authority they held, or what level on the social ladder they were on; I was not going to create a god out of any man; by being afraid of them. And that was just the way it was.

The newly promoted inspector, first approached was to pretend to befriend me. One day, he called me into his office, and began to questioned me about Justice Mitchell's personal business. I was shocked, to think this man thought so poorly of me; a sworn law enforcement officer, my integrity as a Palmer, and the reputation I had developed as an honest man within police circles. Just the thought that the inspector expected me to breach the confidence the police authorities who assigned to that responsibility; the thought the inspector concluded that I will just breach the trust, the Judge put in me, to violate such confidence at his request; upsetted me.

I was appalled at the inspector's assertion, I said to the inspector, "my assignment with Justice Mitchell is not to investigate the judge. I was sent to work with the Judge because, the authority had confidence in my integrity, not to betray the judge's trust and confidence with anyone." Then I said to him; “I cannot discuss the Judge's personal business with you. So don't ask me to.” Inspector Charles did not take my reply too well; he said to me in reply; "You think you are a big boy because you are working with the Judge."

Some weeks later, I was called into the inspector's office and from that day forward, he wanted to see me every day. He wanted to see me in his office every day and everyday the inspector curst me out about Ralph Gonsalves. Inspector Charles accused me of wanting to bring down Mr. Gonsalves' government, "But not as long as I am a live, not over my dead body" he said. Each day Mr. Charles curst me out and he even threatened to throw me into the cell in the old Colonrie Police Station.

Once Mr. Charles took out a large photograph of Ralph Gonsalves and he said to me, as he pointed at the photo, "you see this man ya, I love him to death." Then he kissed the photo of Ralph Gonsalves. This is some strange romantic gay shit; it was too far about my pay grade and I had nothing to do with that. I did not know what I was to take away from that display of intimate affection demonstrated to me and displayed to a photograph of Ralph Gonsalves, except to conclude, maybe; the newly promoted inspector was Ralph Gonsalves gay lover.

Every day, I went into Inspector Charles' office, I looked at him with a smile on my face, as he worked himself into a frenzy, defending Ralph Gonsalves and his government against me. I have heard the worst of cussing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines from members of the Bottom Town community; the community in which I was born, grew up and was still living.

Charles words meant nothing to me. Inspector Charles hated to see me with a smile on my face, while he was all serious, issuing threats to me, trying his hardest to make me afraid of him. The inspector's expressed vocal rage, could be heard in the general office even beyond the closed doors of his office. He often shout at me "Constable Palmer, this is not a joke, this is no a laughing matter” he often said. "Serant Browne, is this a laughing matter," as Sergeant Richard Browne who was always a part of the meeting, sheepishly reply as if he had water in his mouth when he speak, "no sir, this is no joking matter."

All this time, Inspector Cornelius Charles had arranged for me, an enlisted police officer, to be taken to open court as a defendant, on some bogus, trumped up charges, that was approved by then Commissioner of Police: William Harry, who was a practicing Christian. These charges was brought against me by Corporal Kenneth "Scratchy" John.

As the inspector shout, issue threats, and worked himself into a frenzy like a mad man from hell; All I did, was to look at him, with a big smile on my face, and dear him, with my smile to leave his seat, come and lay hands on me. I said to myself, he can argue all he wanted to, however, the moment he build the courage, to get up from behind his desk, come into my space and lay hands on me for any reason, I was going to teach the inspector a lesson of his life; a lesson he would have never forget. Self-defense is always a good legal defense, in retaliation to violence, the perception or the threat of violence.

One Thursday Morning, I was sitting in the Transport Section office with my Supervisor, Sergeant Adam Billingy, when the news came, Inspector Cornelius Charles, was driving to work, upon reaching, the juc-y building, in Kingstown. He stopped his vehicle, called the ambulance and was rushed to the Kingstown General Hospital where he was treated for a mile heart attack.

Inspector Charles was later discharged, with a prescription, told to take it easy, and to make some changes in his lifestyle. He was also encouraged to eliminate any stressful situation in his life. The next day, Friday morning, Mr. Charles came into the office, he was at the entrance of the office relating the experience of his mild heart attack to those of the staff who was in the main Traffic Branch office.

I walked into the office; upon seeing me going into the little office that was the Transport Section's office, he said, "PC Palmer come here," I went to the inspector in compliance to his call. The inspector looked at me and in a very subdued voice he said, “yo see you, you are not killing me in this place, you are not giving me another heart attack. Gather your belonging, I am transferring you to Biabou. Tomorrow morning, report to Biabou Police Station.

It was on common, for officers to be transfer on weekend, however; this was a special situation, Inspector Charles was concerned for his medical health and personal well being. The next day, I reported to the Biabou Police Station, Sergeant Ashley Francis was in charged of the Biabou police Station; He suggested I go for a patrol and on my first day in the Biabou Police District I got into big basa basa.

Biabou police District I got into big basa basa.

True Story - Police Officer Kenneth Scratchy John: did he or didn't he?

While I was a police officer, on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadine; I owned and operated a small business. I offered to the public, driving lessons on my off day. I taught students how to drive. A lot of the student that came to me, came after their relationship with their previous tutors, did not worked out. These were merely difficult students. My simple way of communicating seems, to go down well with everyone.

I had one exceptional student, I still considers that student, the best driving student, I worked with during my time as a driving tutor. This was a lady I knew for a long time. She was a new registered nurse and had friends at and was a friend of the Traffic Branch. She often come by the department and chat with the guys.

Working with a nurse (whom I will call Nurse Cecile for the story) was simple. It was so easy to work with the nurse, that she was the only student, I will take the chance and take out for a driving lesson, when I was tired. This was so because; I did not need to be as vigilant with her. Driving came natural to the nurse and she drove so well.

One morning, I drove to Nurse Cecile's home, and I picked her up for a lesson. Nurse Cecile's deteriorated level of driving was cause for concern. I told her to pull over to the side of the road and stop the car; which she did. I stop being a driver's tutor, and I became a concerned friend. I said to the nurse, something is wrong, and I offered to discussed her problem with her. At first the nurse refused to confide in me, not because she didn't want to, but for two reasons, because what was worrying her was so shameful; she could not stomach the fact that she had became a victim of a trusted friend. What could be even more serious than, to be raped by a police officer, a man whose paid and sworn duty was to keep her safe.

I was shocked when Nurse Cecile told me, the night before; the then Corporal (Cpl.) Kenneth "Scratchy" John came to her home, she went outside, to chat with him, after standing at her gate for a while he suggested, they go for a ride while they chat instead of him blocking the narrow road with his car. This will prevent him from having to stop their conversation, in order to move his car for vehicles to pass, as he had to do a few times while they stood there chatteing.

Nurse Cecile felt safe with Cpl. 'Scratchy" John, because they were friends, and more importantly; he was a police officer. As a result, she consented to leave her home and go with her police friend, for a drive and a chat. What was interesting, was Cpl. John had never expressed a sexual interest in her. for him to do so, it would have been an act of betrayal, for the mere fact; the nurse friendship with the traffic branch, was started by one of Cpl. John's colleague and close working friends. A person who had a love interest in Nurse Cecile.

However; Cpl. Scratchy John drove to Arnos Vale playing field, while on his way there, he tried the old and over use trick of hand slipped off of this gear sitck and touch Nurse Cecile's leg. Not taking much of it. She said to him, "hear na, it's not that type of Party". On reaching the Arnos Vale Playing Field, Scratchy parked the car and being to touch her, legs, brest and other parts of her body, she tried to stop the Corporal, but she being a woman was no match for his strength.

As a result, police officer, Cpl. Kenneth "Scratchy" John, then sexually forced himself upon Nurse Cecile, and without her permission, he used his fingers and his penis to penitrated the nurse's vagina. In legal term Cpl. Kenneth "Scratchy' John raped my student driver, the friend of the Traffic Department and love interest of his colleagues: the Nurse.

I had no doubt, that my student: the Nurse was speaking the truth, for it explained, her lack of or her inability to consentrate on her driving, which was never a problem before; and her complete lack of control of the vehicle, which she always exhibit a command over.

I will forever be ashamed of what happened next. In all of my life, and in my eight years of policing (my years of service at the time), I have never heard of such thing. A man who was entrusted with the enforcement of the law, and in whom such great authority was entrusted; a man whose paid and "SWORN" obligation was to protect the community, could participate in such great betrayal, of the state trust, his sworn and paid obligation, to the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadine. How could he actually do such a thing, baffled me. I was afraid, if such a thing get out into the public, the police force will never survived such a scandal; was my mind set.

I did not tell Nurse Cecile not too go to the Commissioner of Police, as she expressed intention of doing, but I was dropping hints which suggested she should not report the matter to the Commissioner of Police. As a result of another intervention, Nurse did not report the matter to the Commissioner of Police. As she planned to.

Another rapist that got away, and I had a hand in his evasion of prosecution. Because of the fact, a man just don't wake up one morning, as an adult and decides, I am going to become a rapist, and because Cpl. John's actions was so bold. I often asked myself, how many women was raped by Cpl. Kenneth "Scratchy" John before he raped my student the Nurse and how many women was raped by him after he raped the nurse.

Because of his office, if such raped occurred before and or after the raped of my student, most likely they will go unreported; because the victim feels no one will believe them or no police officer will entertained their report. After all they are required to report their rape by a police officer to the police. To steal a quote from Donald Trump - Sad.