Police chided for not wearing mask during stop & search
‘No mask, No service’
Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has urged the public to wear a mask while in a public setting and has even said a law may be put in place for it.
“No mask no service, you trying to service us, you ain’t got on no mask,” a man, who appeared to be one of the persons pulled over, is heard saying while videotaping the police operation.
The exchange then takes a different direction when another person then asks the police why they couldn’t pull him over where he wasn’t blocking the road to traffic.
The person with the camera then says “no they like to make a show. This one going tell me I mustn’t talk to he how I want. I ain’t cuss no bad word you know…”
The same person with the camera and one of the officers then engage in a trade-off as to who is a child.
The person who had complained about blocking the traffic then tells the police to call the BVI Ports Authority (BVIPA) to verify that their vehicle is legit.
“Call the ports nah, ayo ain’t police? I have to lie for that? This car just come off, from Monday I been trying to get it. They ain’t send back the barge with the European cars? No cars could have come off till today.”
‘Ayo got to do the right thing’
The person with the camera then notes that a female officer searched their car and wasn’t wearing a mask. It is unclear whether he was wearing a mask; however, the other civilian caught on camera was not wearing one.
“Ayo is police, ayo got to do the right thing before other people do the right thing.”
The female officer responds, “you do the right thing too so we wouldn’t have to stop you. I could smile you know. I know you cannot smile.”
The man then asks what he did wrong; however, the female officer continued, “I know you cannot smile but I can $#&^*@# smile.”
At this stage, the person behind the camera then remarks that if police can use expletives he can do the same and proceeded to engage in a tirade of expletives.
Another officer then tells him to stop, but the man noted that the female officer started it.
“I got ayo on camera, I going launch this on Facebook today,” the man responded before the video ended.
It is unclear why the female officer was not wearing a mask while conducting duties in the public.
‘I will not support trial by media’- CoP Matthews
Police Commissioner Michael B. Matthews told Virgin Islands News Online he is aware of the video and that officers have been instructed to wear masks, even before today’s incident.
“But of course it is not the law just very good practice that we should all adhere to [and] especially police officers should set the example,” Mr Matthews said.
Grilled on whether any investigation has been launched, including into the conduct of the female officer, Mr Matthews said the RVIPF was only made aware of the video “around the same time as you I doubt an investigation has actually started yet.”
“However, I will not support the ‘usual trial by media’ that you guys favour on VINO so no comment further and if an internal investigation is warranted one will be carried out,” Mr Matthews said.
Shortly after, Mr Matthews, already under pressure following recent unfavourable incidents involving his ranks, said he was advised there is evidence the female police officer's mask strap broke "and it fell off and can be seen on the ground in the video."
The RVIPF recently came under heavy criticism from the public on social media when videos began circulating of police tasing a young man from East End and a man of unsound mind in Road Town on separate occasions in April 2020, even though they did not appear to be of any threat to police.
In another incident in April that caused further embarrassment to the Force, two police officers had a verbal altercation in front of a popular grocery store. Both officers have been given desk jobs as investigations continue.
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85 Responses to “Police chided for not wearing mask during stop & search”
.... Note i just forgot mines in my car seat. sayz this to saY. set of hypocrites om Rvipforce
Tell that F**** boy he need to okay the entire tape cause from the police stop them he began to record so let the public hear what his friends had to say he need to talk about how many times he violated the curfew and ride from west to east without helmet. Boy don’t start to hat u can’t finish
Sound like a jealous BITVH
the officer mask fell so they want her to put the dirty make on her face.
Also I hoped she picked up the mask off of the ground.
if the head of the police department was local very man jack will be calling for his walking papers..however the commissioner have a valid point, wearing of mask is not a law just a good practice: any peace of trash can join the force under the current commissioner of police but one thing the head of police continues to defends his crew. some days ago 2 of the them with outrageous conduct in public while in the police uniform and still active duty.now this one cuss and carrying on, but commissioner cant discipline any one under his command. See what policing have come to in this territory but partner w**** and full of chat so we all sit back “trial by the media”: the media simply publishing the conduct of those under his command
moving them to another area to work.The police mask dropped she should have had another one,plus the one on the ground should have been thrown in the garbage. She was on duty and in uniform she needed to respect herself and her profession, that caused the young man to curse which was not right either however the office was wrong.We wait to see the outcome of this matter.
and discard it. That lying boy need to tell the truth. And you J****sses out here saying the cop was not wearing a mask, yes she was.
Her uniform doesn’t take away who she is as a person. I saw the tape and no need for the bad words.
I nearly peed myself when she said that.
You can buy big Gucci and you don't have teeth same on you **** they school you.