Commissioner of Police, Clayton Fernander hosted a press event revealing crime statistics for the year 2022. At the event Fernander was asked to address the issue of police involved shootings. He told reporters. “it decreased by 20% with 16 incidents compared to 20 in 2021. Ten incidents were fatal and six with injuries.”
The commissioner went further stating, “we continue to provide training for our officers to ensure that they provide professional service to the Bahamian people. We cannot condone any form of police brutality or corruption. This administration will not, I repeat will not, stand for that.”
Fernander also commented on the latest police involved shooting on Kemp Road and which resulted in the death of the man that is said to have engaged police with gunfire. “There was also a question of body worn cams at the time. We have footage. I can’t release it. It will be handed over to the coroner to assist with the investigation but I could say that the police is – we are trained to eliminate any kind of threats, that threat level, either to you, to me, directly to my colleagues or citizens and that officer is trained to do just that, to eliminate the threat if his life or his partner or some civilian life is in danger. We are not trained to fire no warning shots and I’m happy to say at this time that I have communicated with the Coroner and she said that as early as next month you will see some movements in the Coroners Court.”
