Nearly 100 Police Officers Stage Sit-In at Headquarters Demanding Government Fly Out Injured Colleague for Emergency Medical Care

Close to 100 officers of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda staged a sit-in at police headquarters on American Road on Thursday morning, demanding that government authorities arrange an emergency medical evacuation for Senior Sergeant Jeffery Benjamin, who is in danger of losing his leg after being run over by a truck on Valley Road last week.

The protest — a rare and significant act of collective action by serving police officers — is driven by what participants describe as the government's failure to provide urgent medical care for an officer whose injuries require treatment beyond what is available locally.

What Happened to Senior Sergeant Benjamin

Benjamin was struck by a Mack truck on Valley Road on the evening of July 4, when the 19-year-old driver reportedly lost control after an alleged brake failure. The truck ran over Benjamin's right leg, and he was transported by ambulance to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where he has remained under treatment. Officers say his leg is now at risk of amputation if he does not receive specialised medical attention overseas.

"His Life Matters"

The officers who gathered at headquarters on Thursday morning are aggrieved not only by the delay in securing a medical evacuation for their colleague, but by what they describe as a glaring disparity in how the government responds to medical emergencies depending on who the patient is.

Officers cited the instance of former Member of Parliament Michael Browne, who complained of chest pains and was reportedly provided with two air ambulances to fly him out of the country for medical attention. It later emerged that the former MP's condition was far less serious than initially feared. The contrast between that response and the treatment of a senior police officer facing the potential loss of a limb has fueled deep anger within the ranks.

Officers Who Protect the Nation Deserve the Nation's Protection

The sit-in carries a pointed message that extends beyond the immediate case. Law enforcement officers place their lives on the line daily to preserve public safety — not only for residents of Antigua and Barbuda, but for foreign dignitaries, visiting heads of state, and, in a matter of months, the British monarch, as the country prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. Exercise STRONGHOLD, the three-day security drill testing the nation's readiness for that very summit, concluded just one day before the sit-in began.

The officers' message is direct: if they are expected to protect the nation — and to provide security for one of the most significant international gatherings Antigua and Barbuda has ever hosted — then the nation must be prepared to protect them when they are injured in the line of duty.

The government had not issued a public response to the sit-in at the time of publication.