Outcomes - Selected Case Summaries
Categories
Complaint of Unprofessional Conduct
Investigation | 26 October 2020
Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS)
The complainant was stopped and spoken to by police while he was riding his motorcycle in the grounds surrounding his strata. The way the officer spoke to the complainant together with what the complainant felt was an ultimatum to put on a helmet or face a ticket also formed part of this complaint. The lawfulness of the officer’s actions was also called into question. Initial attempts by our office to resolve this matter informally stalled when the police officer rejected this course of action.
The Ombudsman noted that police officers are expected to offer advice on safety issues as part of their duties. The actions of the police officer were deemed to be both lawful and reasonable regardless of whether the advice was given on public or private property. The Ombudsman strongly advised the officer to pay attention to their tone and demeanor when interacting with any member of the public going forward.
The complaint was not supported.