You can video record police doing their duties in a public space, but if you obstruct them in any way, you will be charged, says Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith.
The top cop sought to clarify whether the public could record the police after Magistrate Graveney Bannister called for those who did this to be prosecuted, and attorney Mohia Ma’at offered $1 000 plus free legal representation to those who were charged with recording cops.
Griffith refused to be drawn into discussing Bannister’s concerns or attorney Ma’at’s cash offer, but said “there is no crime committed to record an incident” involving the police.
“But if in so doing, an act resulting in obstruction of the officer in the execution of his duties occurs, this will result in an offence,” he cautioned.
The commissioner said it had become a worldwide phenomenon for the public to record the police doing their duties in public spaces. The law provided for that, he added, and Barbadian police were so trained, he expected them to always conduct themselves in the most professional manner in dealing with suspects and the public. Therefore, he stressed it was not necessary to issue any guidelines to the force about being “shot” on camera. (SP)
