Vendor says policeman demanded weekly $500 bribe

Read storyThe police complaints and corruption unit is reviewing two cases of alleged extortion by its officers.

In one case, an Arawak Cay stall owner said a policeman took $200 from one of his staff members.

He said the officer told him that people had complained about his stall but that he would "have him straight".

The stall owner said the next week the policeman came back and said he wanted $500 every week to "keep everbody off ya back".

In the other matter, 20-year-old Travis Brown said police told him there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Brown said three officers handcuffed him and drove him around for while before offering him a choice: spend a few days in a holding cell or pay a $100 "fine".

After Brown told them he didn't have the money, an officer reached into his pocket, took $50 and gave half to a policeman in the front seat.

Later, the officers were forced to stop at the Quackoo Street Police station when they realized they had no keys for the handcuffs, he said.

Brown said they later dropped him off on East Street.

Acting Commissioner Reginald Ferguson said all such activities must be stopped and encouraged citizens to report them to the Police Complaint Unit.

The Tribune