Richard Dissimo.
An American tourist, who accused a male police officer of abusing him on the Marigot Beach on Monday, has logged a formal report with the Police Complaints Department.
The report was made yesterday (Dec.17) at about 10:00.a.m.
The tourist, Richard Dissimo, told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) today that he was accompanied by two witnesses to the department.
Dissimo said he is very upset with the situation. The 65-year-old man will meet with his attorney on Friday, to see what course of action could be taken against the police.
The American tourist said he loves St. Lucia for its beautiful beaches. He first came to the island a few years back and said he was so thrilled by its beauty that he had to return. He spent a few weeks during his second trip to the island and came back more recently. He was planning to stay five months.
However, Dissimo said he is shaken up by the incident and now has a different perception of St. Lucia, based on that incident.
Dissimo has accused the male police officer of damaging his phone, while he was filing the sunset. According to him, the officer believed that he was videoing him instead. Even when he explained to the officer that he wasn’t, the tourist was chased off the beach.
An eyewitness said she recalled the police officer saying to Dissimo, “get off the beach,” while a few St. Lucians were saying to the officer, “Kool out gasa you can’t do this to a tourist.”
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force issued a statement yesterday stating that force is yet to identify any formal reports made by anyone in relation to the matter.