A 23-year-old Bahamian hairstylist’s allegations of official misconduct by officers at the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) East Street South Station have sparked a formal internal investigation, raising pressing questions about compliance with the country’s landmark 2023 domestic violence reform legislation.
Lewratta Farisien, a young mother, alleges that she was assaulted by her ex-partner — who is himself an active RBPF officer — and his aunt during a confrontation on October 1, when she arrived at his family’s home to collect her two-year-old son. The incident, which Farisien partially recorded on a hidden phone, began when the ex-partner picked the boy up from school without her permission, despite her holding full custody. The footage captures a physical tug-of-war over the crying child, before the aunt joined the assault, leaving Farisien with a black eye, bite marks, widespread bruising, and a broken toe. Her boyfriend, who accompanied her, was also confronted by other family members, and Farisien’s car was damaged during the altercation.
After the attack, Farisien and her boyfriend were transported to the East Street South Police Station to file a formal complaint. Farisien claims that instead of following protocol to document her report of assault, officers at the station actively discouraged her from pressing charges. Citing the ex-partner’s family connections within the precinct, she alleges officers warned that if she pursued the complaint, her boyfriend would face arrest, and she would risk losing custody of her toddler.
Refused formal processing of her claim at East Street South, Farisien took her complaint to the Carmichael Road Police Station, where a senior female officer immediately provided her with documentation to seek medical care. Farisien submitted her medical records, photos of her injuries, and the incident video to that station, leading to the October 15 arrest of her ex-partner and his aunt on charges of causing harm. Both suspects were subsequently released on police bail.
Far from resolving the situation, the aftermath of the arrests has left Farisien in fear for her safety. She alleges that officers linked to East Street South have since repeatedly visited her home, her workplace salon, and her boyfriend’s residence to locate her, and have made persistent phone calls demanding she return to the original precinct. Farisien says she has refused to comply, hanging up on one request because she believes the officers are attempting to pressure her into dropping the charges. She has temporarily relocated to a relative’s home and closed her salon amid growing anxiety over the repeated contacts.
When reached for comment by The Tribune, the East Street South Police Station declined to respond to the allegations. In an official statement, the RBPF confirmed it had opened a full investigation into the claims after becoming aware of Farisien’s viral social media post about the incident, which had been shared more than 4,000 times and drew hundreds of comments from other people sharing their own negative experiences with the precinct.
The RBPF emphasized in its statement that all residents have an inherent right to report criminal incidents and have their complaints properly evaluated. The investigation will focus on determining whether any internal policies or procedural requirements were breached by officers, and the force says it will follow all relevant departmental disciplinary processes if misconduct is confirmed. “The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to assure members of the public that it remains committed to providing fair, impartial, and professional service to all individuals, without prejudice,” the statement read.
If Farisien’s account is verified, the officers’ actions would directly violate the provisions of the 2023 Protection Against Violence Act, landmark legislation designed to overhaul how law enforcement and public agencies respond to domestic violence victims. The law mandates that every violence victim be treated with compassion and dignity, and requires responding officers to draft a formal written complaint, provide the victim with a signed copy, arrange for medical care when needed, advise on evidence preservation, share contact information for the national Protection Against Violence Commission, and formally notify the commission of the report. The law also requires mandatory sensitivity training for all officers handling domestic violence complaints, and grants the commission authority to engage legal representation to advocate for victims when officers fail to cooperate.
The Protection Against Violence Commission, the oversight body created by the 2023 law, was only appointed in February 2024, nearly three years after the legislation was originally passed. Farisien has already filed a separate complaint against the East Street South officers with the RBPF’s own Complaints and Corruption Branch.
In interviews, Farisien said she ended her five-year relationship with her ex-partner after the attack, and has told him he must pursue formal court action if he wants visitation access to their son. Recalling the confrontation, she broke down in tears, saying “I felt like I would have been beaten to death” if her boyfriend had not been present to intervene.