Dear Editor,
Why do the police, even in a straightforward case, fail to enforce the law? In this independent country which just celebrated its golden jubilee, are some people outside the protection of the law? At whose behest is this done? Below I give the context for these questions.
On Saturday, November 21, 2015, around 1p.m., two men broke through my back fence and entered my yard, apparently intending a burglary. While they were scrutinizing my storeroom, they were spotted by my neighbour who raised an alarm. They escaped, but one of them was recognized as Stephon. He lives at a barber shop in Prospect with one Rupert.
That same day, around 2p.m., I reported the matter to the Providence Police Station. Policeman Grenville took notes but said no detective was on the premises. An hour later no detective was there. So I left.
Next day, at 11.30 a.m., I returned to Providence. This time a detective (Bowen) was there, but no vehicle was available. Two hours later no vehicle came, so I left. Bowen promised to visit my home, but did not.
On Monday, November 23,1 called to speak to Detective Bowen but I was told he had gone off the premises. On the morning of Tuesday, November 24,1 was again told that he was off the premises, so I left a message for him that I had called. I received no response.
On that same day, November 24, around 1 p.m., I went to Brickdam to see Commander Hicken of A Division, who referred me to Superintendent Pareshram, who referred me to Deputy Superintendent Vanderhyden at Ruimveldt, who referred me right back to Providence Police Station to see another detective.
I can say in all truthfulness that I am impressed with the courtesy of the Commander, the Superintendent as well as the Deputy Superintendent. I say it from the bottom of my heart. But courtesy is not law enforcement.
On returning to Providence, I saw Detective Seeram who, around 7 p.m., in company of two others, drove to my home. I took him to the fence which the criminals had breached. Later I supplied him with a written statement.
After not hearing anything from the police for months, I phoned Seeram on Friday, April 8, 2016. He said he had been transferred to Grove Police Station about two months earlier and now had no responsibility for the matter. Apparently in the two months preceding his transfer no action was taken against the criminal.
On Tuesday, April 19, 1 saw Mr. Vanderhyden by appointment. He sent me this time to Detective Harvey at Providence.
I went the following day but Harvey was not there. After about six phone calls to the station, I arranged to meet him.
On Friday, April 22, 1 saw Harvey at Providence and gave him details about the matter.
He assured me that since there was no vehicle at the station, he would get the regular night patrol to arrest the man. He would call me up that very night on my home phone. He did not.
On Monday, May 2, 1 phoned Detective Harvey about the matter reported to him two Fridays before (when he had promised to call me up and have the man arrested.) His response was that he was on the West Coast but that he would get back sometime that night. He would get in touch with me on my home phone. I did not hear from him.
On Friday, June 17, I spoke to Harvey. He said about a week earlier they had checked for the man but didn’t find him. They would go again the coming weekend, he said.
I was out of the country for a few weeks. On returning, I phoned Harvey either on September 20 or 21. The phone rang but he didn’t answer. On at least three subsequent occasions, once on September 24, 1 kept getting the message that the mobile telephone number is not in the serving area or it has been turned off.
Finally, on Sunday, September 25, 1 managed to get hold of Mr Harvey. He said he had been transferred to Ruimveldt and matters which he had handled at Providence were no longer in his hands. He suggested that I speak with another detective at Providence.
It is now nearly a year since the incident. In the interval the police, as far as I am aware, have done nothing, the criminal, unhampered, roams about and refines his skill, and I, bewildered, ponder my opening questions.
Why do the police, despite constant prompting, fail to enforce the law even in a straightforward case? Are some people outside the protection of the law? At whose behest?
Yours faithfully
Madan Gopal
