Attorney Says Police Officers Must Abide by the Constitution in their Interaction with the Public
Attorney Warren Cassell has expressed alarm at statements attributed to the Commissioner of Police Steve Foster regarding the police’s right to question citizens.
Mr. Cassell says the police can only act if they have reasonable grounds of suspicion.
In a press release issued last Friday, Commissioner Foster was quoted as saying that the role of the RMPS is to protect and serve the people of Montserrat, and to ensure the community’s overall safety through the enforcement of the laws of Montserrat.
This therefore means that an Officer can question any person at any time, and whether that person is a suspect of an offence or not, or whether an offence is being committed or not.
Mr. Casell says that is not the case, and an officer must have reasonable grounds of suspicion.
Mr. Cassell says the constitution also protects citizens from arbitrary arrests or detention.
Mr Cassell maintains that the Commissioner’s statement runs contrary to the Montserrat Constitution.
Attorney Warren Cassell.
The Commissioner was responding to a video being circulated on social media, showing an Officer dressed in civilian clothes, engaging in a verbal confrontation with a member of the public.