LETTER: Treatment of my mother—an older woman with medical conditions—at the St. John’s Police Station

Good day.

I am compelled to bring to public attention the treatment of my mother—an older woman with medical conditions—at the St. John’s Police Station. This incident raises serious concerns about abuse of authority, lack of compassion, and disregard for basic human rights.

On the day in question, I received a phone call from Officer Quinland, who informed me that my mother was “locked up,” would be charged, and would not be released until Monday. When I asked on what grounds she was being charged, I was told that he could not say. He further stated that visiting hours were at 4:30 p.m.

The call ended at approximately 3:42 p.m. I proceeded to the St. John’s Police Station to seek clarity on the situation. Upon arrival, I attempted to explain my reason for being there to an officer. I was told to “speak up” because she could not hear me.

I calmly explained that I was unable to speak loudly due to a recent tooth extraction. Instead of showing understanding, the officer responded in a hostile manner, stating that “when you all walk into the station you all want people to be afraid,” and refused to make any effort to listen or assist. She further indicated that she would not help and suggested that someone else should come instead.

According to my mother’s statement, while in town, a plain clothes officer told her to come to the station. When she arrived at the station and was questioned by an officer, she was asked, “What did you do?”

She responded that she did not do anything, had not committed any offense, and stated that if she had committed an offense, she should be taken to court, as she did not understand why she was being held.

The officer responded by stating that she was “out of order” and that he was going to remand her.

My mother further recalled that another officer made the remark:

“Oh! Some of y’all just walk around and pretend like nothing is wrong with y’all.”

In response, my mother stated that the officer should not let power get to his head and he is old so the force will soon get rid of him. According to her, the officer then shouted,

“Lock them up!”

My mother also reported that a female Dominican officer was excessively aggressive and rude toward her throughout the encounter. She believes this behavior may have been influenced by a prior verbal dispute between that officer and a friend of hers, although this remains her personal belief and observation.

Most troubling is the fact that my mother—who depends on daily medication—was held for several hours in a filthy cell without access to her medication and without compassion. After several hours, she was released.

To date, not one officer, including the arresting officer, has been able to state why she was taken into custody or why she was detained. The arresting officer admitted that he was “only following instructions” and did not know what my mother allegedly did or why she was taken in.

When concerns were raised regarding her medical condition and the dangers of denying her medication, the response from officers was dismissive and alarming:

“She shouldn’t do things to get locked up.”

I do not understand why some police officers behave as though the law does not apply to them. The Antigua and Barbuda Police Force exists to protect and serve—not to intimidate, humiliate, or endanger citizens.

This matter calls for transparency, accountability, and a full investigation. No citizen should be detained without explanation, denied medication, or threatened for asserting their rights.

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