BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC):POLICE COMMISSIONER Darwin Dottin described the searching of police officers entering the 3Ws Oval to work at a Cricket World Cup warm-up match on Monday as "very shocking" and vowed that it will not be allowed to happen again.
On Tuesday, the Daily Nation published a front-page photograph of police officers being body-searched by a local volunteer before being allowed to enter the University of the West Indies ground for the Scotland versus Sri Lanka game, provoking wide public condemnation, but Dottin said the searches should never have taken place.
"I was very shocked. I am aware that great indignation is being expressed by Barbadians and I do share that sentiment. It ought not to have happened and once it was brought to my attention I gave clear instructions which were put into effect.
A one-off event
"To Barbadians who are alarmed at what was taking place, I would assure them that it was an aberration, a one-off event that will not happen again.
I assure the public that the commissioner of police, the Royal Barbados Police Force and the other security agencies have full responsibility for security at the events," he said.
The commissioner said while the International Cricket Council (ICC) had unrestricted access to the venues, it was clearly spelt out to them that national security remained under the command of host police forces.
"The other point that we were very strong on is that the police have primacy for delivering security at the venues," the top cop told members of the press.
Commissioner Dottin said that with a large contingent of international police officers coming into the region to assist with aspects of the security arrangement for the games, these officers would also remain under the full control of the respective police commissioners.
"Any extra manpower that comes into the region will be under the command of the respective chiefs, which in the case of Barbados will be under me while the military aspects will be under the chief of staff of the Defence Force," Dottin added.
