Antigua : The national security minister has warned law breaking police officers that they will be found and prosecuted.
“Whether you are here enforcing the law or otherwise, if you break the law, the law will be enforced against you,” Dr Errol Cort said.
This year alone lawmen have been taken before the court accused of murder, robbery, assault, attempted rape, wounding with intent, and other offences.
The minister maintained that any officer bent on breaking the law would be brought to justice, but stressed that the accused should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Speaking at a dinner rounding off the 44th annual Police Week he told lawmen and women that he still had faith in the majority of them.
“That is only a very small minority within the force of loyal, committed men and women of the highest integrity,” Cort said.
“Let us not use the faults of one or two or three individuals to tarnish the reputation of an entire police force,” he added.
The minister also called on the public to do their part in helping police tackle crime, while admitting illegal guns were widespread on the island.
“I say to all of us that enough is enough. We are not the manufacturers of firearms in this country or this region, but yet still our streets are flooded with illegal firearms,” Cort said.
“We need support from the community in removing all illegal firearms from the streets of Antigua & Barbuda,” he added.
This year’s Police Week was held under the theme “Forward in Unity while Serving and Protecting our Community.”
