My name is Carlton PHILIPS. I am a member of the Police Force of the Netherlands Antilles (K.P.N.A.) for the past 35 years. My rank is inspector and presently I am a team leader at the Detective Department in St. Maarten.
I have taken a lot of time and have giving it a lot of thought. I have finally decided to go public and expose some of the wrongdoings in the Police force, with the hope that things will change. I know that things will not get better for me and I expect the members of the police Management Team to embark on a mission to seek and destroy me, even if they have to fabricate accusations against my person. It has been done before. It is evident that the majority of the members of this Police organization are not happy and have no confidence in the Management Team of the Police Force of St. Maarten Saba and St. Eustatius. Certain members of the Police Management Team are behaving as if the Police force belongs to them and use their position in management to victimize those that they dislike or have personal problems with. While they are busy with this campaign, houses are being broken into; armed robberies are taking place on a daily basis. Check the statistics. Under this management, crime has increased and the criminals are having a party. This management team has no idea what they are doing. Its time for a change .We urgently need help. We can no longer cover these people’s backs by not letting the public know what is taking place.
As we embark on our way to becoming a country, our Police organization should be in a position to serve and protect all the people of the country, and give content to the goals and mission of this organization. The people deserve the best. This means that the members of the Police Management Team should be people with integrity, honest, responsible, of undisputed character and should at least be able to manage this very important organization, in a professional manner.
Unfortunately, I have to conclude that this is not the case, at this time. After this Police force has been subjected to a period of utter shame, with several police officers, including high ranking police officers, being arrested, prosecuted and condemned, the police organization is again subjected to a very difficult period. From the outside it may seem that all is well. This is far from the truth.
It is the opinion of the majority of the members of the Police force that this Management Team is incapable of running the Police force in an appropriate and efficient manner. Certain members of the Management team are busy with a witch hunt and a victimization campaign against a selected few who would dare to voice their disagreement on current "managerial style". According to information received, several members of the Management team have taken the opportunity to unlawfully enrich themselves. It is rumored that the former Minister of justice probably was misled in this matter.
These things are happening while other members of the force are being wrongfully accused and condemned without even getting the opportunity to defend themselves.
I am one of the victims of the Management Team of the police force and the following is one of several stories:
On February 10, 2009 I was summoned to the office of commissioner Ademar DORAN.
He informed me of the intention of the former Minister of Justice to entrust him with the management of the Police Force. He was very enthusiastic and very happy. I was very happy for him and I congratulated him and wished him all the best in his new position.
Mr DORAN also informed me that one of his priorities would be to promote the last 3 inspectors with the LMO diploma, to the rank of chief inspector. Being one of those 3 persons in the position of the LMO diploma, which is one of the highest diplomas from the police institute in Curacao, I was very elated that finally I would be promoted. Mr DORAN went on to offer me at least two top positions in the Police force. I declined those positions. What I found very strange, was that he did not offer me the position of chief of the Criminal Intelligence Department (better known as C.I.D.). I knew that this position would become vacant so I told him that I would be interested in this position. I worked at the department for 11 years. From 1991 to 1994 as a "C.I.D. agent", from 1994 to 1999 as chief of the C.I.D. and from 1999 to 2002 as a team leader. During that time I traveled on several occasions to the Netherlands, Aruba and Curacao to follow C.I.D. courses. I also attended several drug courses with one of the major topics being "intelligence gathering". During my work at the C.I.D and in my capacity as chief of the C.I.D., I have had the pleasure of establishing very good contacts with other law enforcement agencies. I also played a very important role in solving several major cases.
My record speaks for itself.
Yet, to my great surprise, Mr DORAN asked me about "problems" that I supposedly had in the past while working at the C.I.D. I explained to Mr DORAN that I never had a problem at the department. I explained to him that solving a double murder case in the year 1998, had caused me a lot of pain and sorrow. Shortly after solving this case and having functioned for 5 years as chief of Criminal Intelligence Department, I was suddenly replaced without management ever providing a reason or the decency of an explanation. In fact , I was very smoothly demoted to team leader of the department. It might seem strange but this is the truth. What also contributed to my removal as chief of the department was the fact that I criticize one of my superiors for his unprofessional behavior during an investigation in another murder case. After some time, I requested a transfer from the department. I was transferred to the Narcotics/ Fire arms/ Fraud department to coordinate matters pertaining to fire arms etc. I worked from April 2002 until November 2003 at the this department…
After explaining to Mr DORAN the truth about the so called "problem", he then proceeded to ask me about the accusation of "destruction of information" while working at the Criminal Investigation Department (C. I.D.).
One can imagine how dumb-founded I became at hearing these accusations. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine something like that being uttered.
I was left astonished, confused and speechless. I tried to understand what exactly this good gentleman was asking me about.
After a short time I realized exactly what was happening.
Seven years after leaving the department, all of a sudden, because the position of chief of the Intelligence Department would become vacant and there was nothing to prevent me from getting the promotion, I am being accused of a very serious crime, namely "destruction of information". This is punishable by law under article 366 of the Wetboek van Strafrecht van de Nederlandse Antillen ( Penal code of the Netherlands Antilles ). Mr DORAN informed me then, that during a meeting of the Management Team, someone had mentioned that I destroyed information while working at the C.I.D.
Who made this accusation and what kind of information or evidence that I supposedly destroyed, was never disclosed to me. I emphatically refuted the accusation and immediately requested an investigation to be carried out to clear my good name and to restore my honor. No matter what, I have to say that I am very grateful to Mr DORAN for at least asking me about this accusation which is a BIG LIE. Before this date, at no time was there any talk or accusation about me destroying information.
The following day, on the 11th of February 2009, I officially, by means of a letter, with copies to the local chief of police Mr. Franklyn RICHARDS, the chief public prosecutor Mr. Taco STEIN and the NAPB (Police Union) representatives, chief inspector Carl JOHN and inspector Norwin VILLARREAL, requested an investigation. I requested that the investigation, if possible, be carried out by an impartial entity, the Federal Detectives ( Landsrecherche ).
Up to this date, after waiting for more than seven months, (since 10-2-09) no investigation has been carried out. I have written several times to Mr DORAN asking for the motive that no investigation was being carried out. He paid no attention to my letters. I have spoken to Mr DONGOR, the coach in the Management Team requesting him to do whatever is in his power to ensure that an investigation is carried out. He promised to discuss the matter with Mr DORAN. I have spoken to the chief prosecutor, Mr. Taco STEIN , requesting him to do whatever was in his power to ensure that an investigation be carried out. He promised to do his best.
As a sign of respect for the office of the Lieutenant governor, I subsequently tried to get an audience with him in his capacity as Local Chief of Police. He declined my request and referred me to my superiors. Needless to say that my being unable to meet with the Local Chief of Police was another disappointment to my person. This considering that I clearly recall public statements attributed to the latter, in the past, when he assured members of the police organization that he would always be willing to listen to their concerns, whenever police organization superiors would not do so.
And now it is evident that those who fabricated this shameful lie against my person, succeeded in their ugly intentions. I never received the promotion that Mr. DORAN promised me. The other two officers with the LMO diploma (earlier referred to) are sitting on a chief inspector’s chair and most probably will be promoted, which is the only good news to report at this time.
An interview session for the position of Chief of the C.I.D. did take place within the organization.
Present were Mr DORAN, the C.I.D. Prosecutor and a member of the RST, stationed in Curacao. It is my opinion that they conspired ("fixed") for me not to be awarded the position of chief of the C.I.D. I seriously belief that the accusation towards my person contributed to their decision. In the end, the position was awarded to a younger colleague. I wish to emphatically state that I have no problem whatsoever with the colleague who was chosen and I wish him all the best.
I informed the Police Union concerning the unfair treatment, this and other irregularities and statements made by Mr DORAN, with regards to the selection process.
Members of the NAPB (Police union) requested a report of the interview, asked about the criteria that were followed and the reason that I was not awarded the position. Mr DORAN promised on several occasions to supply the report, but up until now, he has not been forthcoming. It is left to one’s imagination as to the reason that he cannot produce such a report.
I am certain that this discreditable lie of "destroying information" has been fabricated in order for me not to get the position in question. I wonder if the person or persons who fabricated this lie, will plant some kind of evidence the next time around. It is crystal clear to me that with this lie, I have been accused and condemned without even getting a formal inquiry instituted. Every suspect has the right to a hearing before being condemned. It seems that this Management Team is afraid of an investigation and is doing everything possible, in order to prevent such an investigation taking place.
By means of this open letter, I am respectfully calling on the leader of government, Mr. William MARLIN and the leader of the opposition Mrs. Sarah WESCOT WILLIAMS to approach the Minister of Justice Mrs. JACOBA soliciting her to do whatever is in her power to insure that the people of St. Maarten receive a proper functioning Police organization with people at its helm who are capable of managing such an important organization, particularly at this crucial time when we are en route to country status.
I am also, respectfully requesting the above mentioned authorities to forward through the intervention of the Minister of Justice, a request to the Attorney general to:
1
Investigate the accusation against my person in order to establish if indeed any information has been destroyed and if so, by whom.
2
Establish if this serious crime was ever brought to his attention in 2002, and if not, the reason that this never happened.
3
Investigate and establish the role of the C.I.D. prosecutor and the member of the RST, stationed in Curacao, who cooperated with those who fabricated this lie against my person.
4.
Instruct the Federal Detective Department to investigate and establish if any member of the police Management Team has unlawfully and/or unethically enriched themselves.
5.
Investigate and establish if members of the Management Team misled the former Minister of justice in any way whatsoever, with regards to this particular matter.
6
Investigate the functioning of all members of the police Management Team.
7
Instruct the S.O.A.B. ( Government Accountant agency ) to investigate possible wrongdoings within the finances of government with regard to the Police force of St. Maarten Saba and St. Eustatius.
I do trust that my going public, at this time, and after many months of careful consideration, will be construed as my strong commitment to the upholding of the integrity of the police force and those honest and hard working members of this organization.
It is certainly my sincere hope that no other interpretation shall be forthcoming as a result of this most difficult and painful decision to publicly share my concerns and try to safeguard against further victimization of my person and others in the organization.
September 10, 2009
End
Inspector Carlton G. PHILIPS
Police Station
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Tel: 5422222 ext. 217
Cel. 5566822