‘We feel victimised’: City Constables challenge close arrest

September 22 2026

Two female constables attached to the City Constabulary’s Regent Street outpost have been placed on close arrest amid an investigation into an allegation that money belonging to a Spanish-speaking woman was taken.

The officers were reportedly placed on close arrest on Monday after the woman allegedly made a report against two City Constabulary ranks. Both constables are maintaining their innocence and say they have done nothing wrong.

The officers contacted the BIG Smith News Watch with complaints of violations to their close arrest.

According to the officers, close arrest means they are being confined to the compound while the investigation continues, however, they are alleging that they have been made to remain on prisoner benches, which they believe is an inappropriate measure and a violation of their rights while they have not been found guilty of any wrongdoing.

The women also raised concerns about the conditions under which they are being held. One of the officers said they were served food after 3 p.m yesterday. on the first day and were later given what they described as poor-quality food. One of the officers reportedly has a three-month-old baby at home with no immediate family members to depend on.

The constables have also questioned the manner in which an identification parade was conducted.

They allege that the person involved in the complaint had seen the two officers before the identification process, which they believe could compromise the fairness of the exercise.

The officers further alleged that another incident involving female officers occurred approximately two months ago and claimed those officers were friends of the inspector currently handling the investigation.

They allege that the previous matter was covered up, while they are now being treated differently because they are not personally connected to the investigator.

The claims have not been independently verified, and the allegations regarding the previous investigation have not been established.

The two constables say they feel victimised by the manner in which the current matter is being handled and are calling for the investigation to be conducted fairly.

The investigation remains ongoing, and no finding of wrongdoing has been made against either officer at this stage.

In an invited comment, Town Clerk Ms Candace Nelson said the matter remains under investigation and that she was unaware of the allegations reportedly made by the ranks.

She said commenting further at this stage would be premature while the investigation is ongoing.