Sexual misconduct allegations by individuals against a senior member of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) are currently the subject of a formal investigation.
Police Commissioner Crusita Descartes-Pelius, whose contract ends on August 31, 2024, announced the probe on Wednesday.
“I have also initiated a formal investigation into reports made by individuals against a senior officer,” she told reporters.
“At this time there is nothing more I am able to say with regard to these matters, other than the necessary support is being afforded to all persons and that the investigations are progressing,” Descartes-Pelius told a news conference on Wednesday morning.
Descartes-Pelius expressed grave concern over reports before her about matters of sexual harassment and assault perpetrated by RSLPF members.
She recalled that she had the distinct honour of becoming Saint Lucia’s first female Police Commissioner.
“I am deeply saddened that my tenure has been marred by these serious allegations,” Descartes-Pelius declared.
In this regard, she reiterated that she remained resolute in obtaining redress for impacted individuals.
The Police Commissioner also addressed remarks to people she said had hidden behind ‘fake profiles’.
She described them as ‘closeted warriors spewing lies and hate,’ trying to shift the focus and change the narrative to one of malicious intent.
“There has been no malice on my part in this,” the Police Commissioner told the news conference.
Instead, she explained there had been a concerted attempt to maintain the RSLPF’s integrity so prospective victims and other impacted individuals could feel comfortable trusting the organisation and the judicial system.
“I cannot, as Commissioner of Police, hold one standard for the public and another for any of my officers. We are all subject to the same measuring stick,” Descartes-Pelius stated.
“I have sat and observed attacks on my character, that of my Press Officer, Sergeant Ann Joseph, and that of the President of the Police Welfare Association Mr. (Camron) Laure,” she recalled.
In addition, Descartes-Pelius spoke of attempts to align reported cases to political ambitions.
“Let me say this to you today: nothing is further from the truth,” she told reporters, adding that the falsehoods had only worked to the detriment of the individuals trying to undermine her authority while sitting at computers, too cowardly to expose their identities.
“These attacks are baseless, however disgusting they are,” the Police Commissioner stated.
The Police Commissioner also explained that she had completed a sexual harassment policy to govern the conduct of all officers and establish proper official protocols for addressing such matters in the RSLPF.
She said stakeholders, including the RSLPF executive, the Police Welfare Association, and the Ministry of Home Affairs, are reviewing the document, which the other protective services could use.
The Commissioner’s contract ends on 31 August, 2024, and today, 28 August, 2024, is when matters in the investigation have taken a decisive turn! No further comment!
Great move get this village ram of the police force .
What a cop out, just another failure.
When will the investigation start into the mass passing of confidential information on the citizenry to an infamous politician/tv host? Do the people still have to live in fear of scoundrels?
This lady is a joke and failed in the execution of her responsibilities as the First Female Police Commissioner. She failed the women of that organization, failed the organization itself and failed the people of Saint Lucia. If I am correct, this is the first commissioner to spend all her time traveling, too busy to manage the RSLPF as per the dictates of her contract. Too busy to receive and return calls and too busy to attend to pressing matters and deal from what has been described as the pile of documents on her desk.
As a citizen I lost all respect for this lady as Commissioner when she initially stated during her first contract that she had heard nothing about complaints of sexual allegations against any senior member of her organization. Yet those allegations were all over social media and the corridors of the RSLPF. It is my understanding that this was one of the assignments given to her by her ministry upon assuming office, but she chose to ignore it completely and bury her head in the sand while her female officers were literally being f……ed over. But what changed during her dying days in that organization to have motivated her to commence an investigation? Is it because she thought the gentleman in question acted like he had a “God given right to the position of Commissioner” and she would do all in her power to prove otherwise and ensure that he didn’t assume the position? Is it because she is alleged to have been humiliated by him on several occasions, bringing her in some instances to tears? Or is it because she thought that requesting an investigation at the end of her contract would have forced the government to extend her stay? Or was it for her to save face on the international scene – since her departure without an investigation would have ruined her reputation as the first female commissioner? Whatever her reason or reasons, I think she acted selfishly and not in the interest of the females in her organization. That investigation could have commenced during her first contract or at least at the beginning of the second, giving the government sufficient time to select a suitable replacement, if it appeared that the allegations against the gentleman were credible. But as per reports, there would have been no investigation then because the two were toooo close and appeared to be hand in glove.
Now one shouldn’t think that that investigation is not welcomed, as the police are not above the law. The same treatment meted to we members of the public in such instances should be the exact treatment given to offending police officers. My only concern there was the motivation for ordering such an investigation at a time when her authority was waning and her members were already looking past her for direction.
Blessings be upon all ❗
And the attacks this lady are happening already. Lisa, Mary, Catherine nothing to say? Selective outrage is sickening from the women’s rights activists. The red cabal will destroy anybody that questions the autocracy. Just wait for the mongrel to start barking too.
What investigation we all know it will be buried just like the rest of their dirty laundry, what a shame
From the beginning she knew nothing would ever comes out of this so-called investigation waited until now to say something,shame on you lady only in st lucia
Step in the right direction albeit that we know nothing will become of the investigation. And even if anything did the heir apparent will still be made COP.