Garwin Davis, Gleaner Writer

The alleged sexual assault of a female officer at the Ocho Rios Police Station by a male colleague has been greeted by several female cops as "common practice" and "nothing unusual".

They paint a picture of a police force that is nothing more than "a good old boys club", which sees female officers as pawns short on intellect and high on physical attributes.

"I first heard about the Ocho Rios incident two weeks ago, but honestly I wasn't shocked, to say the least," one female officer who hails from the parish of St. Mary told The Gleaner on Friday. "Sexual harassment is very prevalent in the police force; that is a known fact. Female officers are seen in many cases as just a piece of meat and are there to entertain the lustful nature of their male colleagues."

Another officer from St. Catherine weighed in. "I have had male colleagues touching my buttocks and displaying utter shock at the fact that I was not amused," she said. "It doesn't matter if you are married or is known to be with somebody; female officers are expected to toe the line and keep their mouths shut."

Reporting incident

Asked if she has ever reported her concerns to any of her superiors, she said: "I have brought a particular incident to the attention of Assistant Commissioner Novelette Grant and was happy at how it was dealt with it. There was a problem with a senior male colleague who has since ceased from making sexual advances at me." Repeated efforts to reach ACP Grant were unsuccessful.

On Friday, The Gleaner reported that a female officer was allegedly sexually assaulted by a male colleague at gunpoint in one of the barracks at the Ocho Rios Police Station on the night of January 17. Not only has the story embarrassed the rank-and-file members throughout the St. Ann police divisions, but it has also triggered a high level investigation ordered by Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas.

No confidence in superiors

"The intervention of the Police Commissioner into this Ocho Rios incident should also be viewed as an indictment on the divisional heads in police stations across the country," another female officer added. "The fact that the victim didn't see it fit to report the incident to any of the divisional heads in St. Ann neither in Ocho Rios or St. Ann's Bay - shows that she has no confidence in their ability to be fair and, therefore, left her with no choice but to go directly to the commissioner."

Her female colleague, also from St. Ann, agreed. "This incident took place over three weeks ago and I know for a fact that nobody in authority in St. Ann, outside of her peer counselor, has spoken to the victim about the incident," she reasoned.

But Police Federation chairman, Corporal Raymond Wilson, said it should not be assumed that because a complainant may bypass her immediate supervisors there is no confidence in the ability of divisional heads to be fair. "This particular commissioner has an open-door policy and people feel very comfortable talking to him," Corporal Wilson said.