Antigua’s Commissioner of Police suspended

(Jamaica Gleaner) Antigua’s Commissioner of Police, Vere Browne, has been sent on suspension.

The move comes as the Police Service Commission investigates four incidents which it said could adversely impact the discipline and morale of members of the Antigua and Barbuda Police Force.

Vere Browne
Vere Browne3

In the suspension letter dated January 15, and copied to Prime Minister Gaston Browne and two others, police commissioner Browne was informed that he failed to give a proper reason for not acting on the four complaints.

Browne, who has so far refused to comment on his suspension, has been ordered to handover command of the Royal Police of Antigua & Barbuda and the Fire Brigade and all articles under your control to Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Wendell Robinson.

Browne is alleged to have taken no action after ammunition had been found at a house in Barbuda occupied by the nephew of a senior police officer.

He is also accused of failing to publish the promotion list for the Fire Brigade, even after the Police Service Commission noted that the approved list had been sent to him last month.