A high-profile incident of alleged extortion targeting an American tourist is set to lead to formal charges against two Royal Bahamas Police Force officers on Friday, marking the second major corruption-related case involving law enforcement and visitors to the Caribbean nation in less than a year.
The case emerged after the visiting tourist filed a formal complaint alleging misconduct by officers at the Nassau Cruise Port, one of the country’s most high-traffic entry points for international visitors. Law enforcement leadership confirmed that a 23-year-old female officer and a 27-year-old male officer were taken into custody following the June 14 complaint, and both are scheduled to make their first appearance at the Magistrate’s Court starting at 10 a.m.
Royal Bahamas Police Force Commissioner Shanta Knowles called the alleged behavior deeply embarrassing for both the national police service and The Bahamas as a whole, emphasizing that the incident strikes at the core of the country’s reputation as a safe tourist destination. “Again, this is something that is causing embarrassment to our organisation and eventually to the country,” Knowles stated in an interview with The Tribune. “It is acts like this that we even warn our officers about. There is no need for any officer to believe or to act in such a manner where you are in contravention of police policy and also the law.”
Following the tourist’s report, the force’s Complaints and Corruption Branch launched a full investigation into the allegations. In an official statement, the RBPF reaffirmed its long-standing “zero tolerance” policy for criminal and unethical behavior among personnel, noting that any action that erodes public trust or damages the country’s standing will be addressed decisively, in full alignment with national law.
The department also noted that the probe into the latest extortion allegations was conducted “thoroughly, fairly, and impartially,” and restated its institutional commitment to upholding core standards of professionalism, integrity, accountability and ethical policing for all serving officers.
This case comes just months after another high-profile corruption scandal involving police interaction with a tourist. In that earlier incident, a viral TikTok video recorded by a Miami-based visitor circulated widely online, appearing to show an officer attempting to solicit a bribe during a routine traffic stop.
In that case, Knowles said the department was alerted to the incident by social media, which triggered an immediate internal investigation. Two officers were ultimately pulled from frontline public safety duties and referred to a formal police tribunal for disciplinary review.
The 2024 video showed officers conducting a roadblock near St Matthew’s Anglican Church off Shirley Street, after the tourist was stopped while operating a rented scooter. In the recorded footage, the officer identified by badge number 4438 appeared to suggest the traffic violation could be “worked out” rather than result in a formal ticket — comments that were broadly interpreted by social media users and investigators as a clear solicitation of a bribe. The officer was also heard advising the tourist to move out of the line of sight of other on-duty officers during the exchange.