Now, police may stop and question any person found moving to ask you where you are going. That’s because you cannot be - what would be called “drifting about if you’re going somewhere it has to be for a clear and direct purpose.
And, this is not the time to argue with the police because they are empowered under a state of emergency, and your regular rights as a citizen are basically put on hold.
This evening, we asked the Commissioner of police about what the police can and can and can’t do during the state of emergency:
Jules Vasquez
“This gives police officers broad and sweeping powers of detention and arrest. How will these be managed in face of the fact that we’re not facing a situation of civil unrest, we’re facing a common and universal enemy COVID-19.
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
“Yes Jules, the National State of Emergency come into effect midnight tonight and as you rightly said, it will give the police wide sweeping powers to be able to do what is necessary with a view to help prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. You have seen us done 2 state of emergencies that dealt with criminal activities and while we’re facing a situation where criminals were behaving in such a way that it created the public to become alarmed, police were not abusive, why now? Our thing is that whilst yes, the declaration gives us certain powers, there is not need for us to exercise those powers unless there is reason to do so. I would ask that the public be a bit more patient and cooperate as best as they can with the police. We’re not out there to abuse nobody, we’re out there to ensure that the spirit of the state of emergency from a law enforcement stand point is achieved and that is achieved within the scope of the regulations. and while yes, the attorneys are saying they are going to bond together to defend person who are violated by the police during this time, I would just like to remind them that the constitution itself does state in section 18-19 that where there is a state of emergency, certain fundamental rights are suspended and while yes those rights are suspended, it does not mean that we must be abusive. We still must ensure that we treat people humanely and with respect. Yes there will be a few who may resist the police and if or when that presents itself, then the police must respond proportionately to those circumstances but in the absence of that, our intention is to work with the public, work with the different agencies that are going to be apart of this operation with a view to ensure that we achieve our end state to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.
