Tactical Services Unit (TSU) head Senior Superintendent Linden Alves yesterday recommended that training for the unit’s ranks be revised to ensure a “softer hand” in engagements with the public.
Alves was at the time testifying before the commission probing the shooting to death of Ron Somerset, Allan Lewis and Shemroy Bouyea and the injuries sustained by several other protestors.
Alves told Commissioner K D Knight that he believed the training of police could be altered and that there can also be increased training in the areas of human rights and human relations.
He explained that recruits are trained in their initial stage of policing prior to graduation and after graduation, they are deployed to the various stations and training is also done at the TSU.
“In your view, as the head of the TSU, they were individually and collectively properly trained for the purpose they were dispatched?” Knight asked in relation to Linden. He received an affirmative answer. Considering the fact that they were deployed for riot control, Knight asked Alves if he would recommend a change in the training given to the men under his control.
“Yes sir… first we probably need to review the [Standard Operating Procedures] and the manner in which the unit is being armed and also look at their intervention which would provide for more time and probably a softer hand,” he said.
He was later asked by Commissioner Dana Seetahal to explain what he meant by “softer hand” and he stated that this is considered the engaging of the stakeholders. “The protestors have persons who are leading them… for instance the Regional Chairman. You can engage him and try to influence him to get them off the bridge. You have members of the religious community, members of the government, the opposition… to help have them off the bridge before we go to the level of confrontation,” he explained.
Asked what he considered reasonable time for the crowd to have dispersed and cleared the bridge, Alves said ten minutes.
Alves yesterday testified that four TSU ranks returned with depleted ammunition after being deployed to Linden on July 18. Under cross-examination by APNU attorney Basil Williams, Alves relayed that Sergeant Junior was armed with a 12-gauge compactor shotgun and returned seven 12-gauge cartridges, which would have reflected a shortage of three 12-gauge cartridges; Constable Parker, who was also armed with a 12-gauge compactor shotgun, returned nine 12-gauge cartridges, which would reflect a shortage of one 12-gauge cartridge; Constable George, who was armed with a 1.5 rifle gun returned five cartridges, which reflected a shortage of five; and Constable McBeam, who had in his possession a bag of CS grenades, returned six CS grenades, reflecting a shortage of four.
The ammunition that is used by members of the riot unit, particularly on deployment, is the standard 12-gauge cartridges number 6, the witness told Attorney Peter Hugh, who is representing the Guyana Police Force.
‘Crowd control’
Alves, who was promoted to head of the TSU on January 1, 2012 and who has in excess of 20 years experience in the unit, said he never used Double 0 buckshot cartridges for crowd control.
He was at the time responding to questions posed by Seetahal, who also inquired whether the unit uses that type of ammunition other than for the purpose of crowd control. Alves said no.
“Under what circumstances are ranks allowed to discharge live rounds at the crowd?” Attorney Nigel Hughes, who is representing the interest of the families of the three dead men, asked. Alves said the scenario would be determined by the assessment of the Commanding Officer of the unit and based on the threat level posed to the unit and particularly the members of the community who are affected.
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COI Hearings 29/10/12
“If it becomes necessary to open fire… such fire must not be directed above the target’s head, to prevent the police station or outpost from being overrun, persons found committing or about to commit a felony, for example arson, larceny, and does not desist after warning and could not be deterred or arrested by any other means,” the TSU head further stated.
Alves said he had received reports from Assistant Superintendent of Police Patrick Todd, who headed the half unit which was deployed, that the lives of himself and members of the unit were threatened and there were also persons being robbed, resulting in police intervention. Alves said that this information was conveyed after Todd would have taken the course of action of using the shotgun. Asked by Hughes whether Todd at that time identified how his life and that of his unit were threatened, the witness responded in the negative. He stated that later at a debriefing session, the ranks were required to explain but no notes were taken, which was unusual. Under further questioning by Hughes, the witness said that he was responsible for record keeping but could give no reason why it was not done. The witness also told the commission that Todd never indicated to him that he had received specific information from former E&F Division Commander Senior Superintendent Clifton Hicken to use the shotgun or teargas.
Commissioner Knight asked the witness why ranks had not opted to discharge rounds into the air rather than have them ricochet and was told that that method would not have garnered the outcome desired by the ranks. Knight opined that the pellets would have been cold and harmless if this was done and unlikely to result in injury. Alves agreed that persons could be injured with the use of the ricochet method, which ranks who testified said they had used at Linden. “A pellet could have become lodged in a person’s eye?” Knight asked and was told yes.
Alves was also questioned about ammunition which is used by the civilian population for the purpose of hunting that are lodged at the TSU armoury. He explained, under questioning by Hughes, that such ammunition is kept in the same building but in different rooms. He noted that an “Inspector Grant” is in charge of both rooms, the records for which are kept separately.
Responding to Hughes, Alves said that he is familiar with shotguns and that he was aware that Double 0 buckshot cartridges are more common for hunting of large animals because they are more lethal. He said that although he is not a hunter, he has seen this type of ammunition as a trainer/instructor, when he worked with civilians who have been licensed to use firearm, particularly shotguns.
Asked by Knight if a member of the TSU wanted Double 0 buckshot if he would be able to acquire it, Alves said he would be unable to say. Further asked if they would have the access to it, he said, “I don’t know, sir.”
Meanwhile, phone records were again referred to when Crime Chief and Deputy Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, and Assistant Superintendent Walter Stanton both returned to the stand yesterday.
Despite claims by Persaud that he had not spoken to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on the evening of July 18, the phone records proved that a call was placed from Rohee’s phone to Persaud’s phone at 17:44 hrs. The call lasted a period of two minutes and four seconds. Persaud maintained that he had no recollection of this. He was then asked by Hugh whether his cell phone device has the voicemail feature and he stated that he is uncertain but it is likely.
Stanton was proven to have received 15 calls from Hicken between 16:01 hrs and 16:47 hrs. Stanton had also called Hicken eight times between this period. “I made a lot of calls,” Stanton said when asked about this. When asked if the calls were as a result of taking instructions from Hicken, the witness responded in the negative.
Also appearing before the commission yesterday were civilians 17-year-old Jama Ki Brumell, 60-year-old Carlos Henry, Wesley Stephens and Nursing Assistant Ron Allicock. Also, Surveyor Troy Rambachan appeared and provided the commission with a sketch of the area at Linden where the shootings occurred.
