Commissioner Addresses Arrest of Keishon Smith
Thu, 2010-10-07
Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva – Due to a series of misrepresentations being reported in the media regarding the arrest of Mr. Keishon Smith, I wish to provide clarity on what actually happened. Mr. Smith was arrested by police on the evening of 30th September on an Apprehension Warrant. The warrant had been issued by Magistrate’s Court because Mr. Smith failed to attend court to answer a speeding charge from 2005. Mr. Smith was arrested on a warrant that was indeed valid, and removes discretion from the police as it is an order from the Court to arrest the named person. When Mr. Smith appeared at Court on Friday morning, the DPP’s Crown Counsel considered the facts of the case and withdrew the speeding charge owing to the age of the warrant and the relatively minor nature of the offence. In this, Mr. Smith was dealt with leniently – which happens from time to time when the circumstances are appropriate.
While I cannot speak on behalf of Mr. Smith I believe his comments on Wednesday relate to a second speeding charge that occurred on a different date. Our records show that Mr. Smith did, in fact, pay a speeding ticket in 2006. But it was not the same one for which the Apprehension Warrant was issued. My staff have contacted Mr. Smith and explained this to him and hopefully - not withstanding his unfortunate experience of being in custody with us overnight – he now has a clearer understanding of what happened.
I am disappointed by the public statements from Senator Michael Dunkley that appear in today’s media. His comments stem from a series of misrepresentations and a version of events that is not true. As such his criticism of the Police Service is unwarranted, unhelpful and unfair. Of particular concern is the fact that our Deputy Commissioner spoke with Mr. Dunkley personally on Wednesday morning and explained all the facts of the case. Despite Mr. Dunkley’s broadside against the police and his links between speeding tickets and investigating serious crimes, my officers acted appropriately, correctly and as prescribed by law. They did exactly what I expect them to do, and I thought it was important that I take the time today to set the record straight for the public’s benefit.
