Investigation launched into abuse of Police Constables by Senior Officer

Written by Leroy Smith

A Senior Police Officer attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) is now under investigation after he reportedly assaulted three Constables who are under his supervision.

The incident took place on Wednesday evening (March 22, 2017), at the TSU Headquarters, moments after the senior rank returned from the officers’ Mess where he was reportedly consuming alcohol.

News Room has been informed that on Wednesday evening, the Constables; Griffith, Fernands and Benjamin, were ordered to get dressed and prepare for a drilling exercise.

It is reported that some of the ranks who are stationed at the location were only issued one pair of uniform for drilling including footwear.

The constables who were ordered to get dressed were reportedly drilling earlier in the day and as such their uniforms were dirty and in one case wet, leaving them with no other clothes to take part in the drilling exercise on Wednesday night.

This was reported to the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) identified as Clifton Davis.

The senior cop who reportedly still had the alcohol in his system, stormed into the barracks room and began physically abusing the constables, ripping their clothes in the process.

Parts of the ordeal were recorded on mobile phones by ranks, while others snapped photographs.

After the incident with the constables, the ASP reportedly breached the protocol of the force by failing to report the incident. Instead, he went to a private hospital where he paid to see a doctor and was issued a medical certificate.

According to Guyana Police Force Standing Order #20 “Members of the Force will be provided with medical attendance in accordance with the police acts and regulations. Any member of the force who consults a private practitioner, places himself outside of Police Acts and Regulations and will not be entitled to free medical attendance, treatment and medicine”

The police constables were however encouraged by another senior rank to seek medical attention and secure medical certificates for the injuries they received.

On Thursday morning, the incident was reported to the Acting Commissioner of Police who instructed Assistant Commissioners of Police, Christopher Griffith and Maxine Graham to look into the welfare of the junior ranks who were the subject of the “beating” as it is being termed on the police base.

The Police Office of Professional Responsibility has launched an investigation into the matter and already statements have been taken from those involved.

News Room has been reliably informed that this is the second incident where the ASP is accused of mistreating the junior ranks under his care.