Police are investigating the origin of the copper-coated buckshot pellets that were extracted from the bodies of the three men killed during last July’s police shooting of protestors at Linden according to Top Cop Leroy Brumell who also said that he is yet to read the full report of the Commission of Inquiry into the incident.
Almost three weeks have passed since the report was handed over to President Donald Ramotar and most of its contents published in the media but Brumell is still unable to address key issues that it outlines regarding police ranks and how they operated that day.
“You read the COI? …Well believe you me I have not gone to page four as yet” Brumell said on Thursday while admitting that he has a copy of the report.
Following the opening of the Police Officer’s Annual Conference this newspaper spoke with Brumell about the report. When asked about the officers who were singled out in the report, he was unable to answer since he said that he had not read it.
The then commander of the police division in which Linden falls Senior Super-intendent Clifton Hickens and ASP Patrick Todd who was in charge of the half unit deployed from the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), Eve Leary were among those mentioned. Hickens who had instructed Todd to clear the protestors with tear smoke and a shotgun was later relieved of his post. It is unclear what departmental decision was taken in relation to Todd who according to the report was “somewhat reckless” when he discharged four rounds in the direction of the Mackenzie/Wismar bridge.
Brumell when asked if ranks should be charged especially given the fact that the COI found that police were responsible for the death of the men said “Which men? I don’t know, I don’t know. They didn’t say which police shot”.
During the COI the question of the Buckshot arose and it was given a lot of attention in the report which was handed over to the president. To date there is no clear indication as to who fired although during the COI there was evidence that narrowed it down to two ranks who had shotguns capable of discharging that type of ammunition.
The commissioner when quizzed on this subject said that the force is at the moment looking into the origin of the Buckshot. Senior police officials and security officials have since told this newspaper that this type of ammunition which was and is still in the possession of the force is used for hunting and not controlling public disorder. It is stored only at the Armoury located at Eve Leary.
The report said that examination of the Arms Book in which the type of weapon and ammunition assigned to persons are entered does not disclose any such ammunition being issued to anyone. But the commissioners noted that the entries in that book cannot be relied on as it contained numerous irregularities.
This raised numerous questions including how the buckshot ended up in Linden. One security official had opined that the buckshot cartridges were accidentally picked up by a member or members of the half unit which was deployed to Linden.
“Yes we are looking to see where have buckshots…” Brumell assured this newspaper. He pointed out that before the COI police asked persons to come down (to Georgetown) and provide police with statements to assist with their investigations but no one did. He said that now that the COI is finished “everybody taking about investigation”.
In making reference to some of the recommendations and points raised in the report and their implementation, he said “it is not a decision that I alone make”.
Days after the report was handed over, Brumell had told Stabroek News that he would have to stand by what is contained in it.
The COI recommended a complete management audit for the Guyana Police Force citing too much centralization of decision making and “anachronistic” procedures. It is unclear what the force is doing in this regard and whether a management audit is going to be done or has already started.
“We recommend very strongly that a complete management audit of the Guyana Police Force be carried out so that there can be a comprehensive assessment of what is needed to modernize the organization.
If this is done it could signal a break from practices which are inimical to proper policing and endorse those which are consonant with international best practices,” the report said.
It had stated that during the inquiry, indications were given from time to time related to “probable deficiencies” of the police force in its strength and establishment, its forensic capabilities, the recruit training curriculum including that related to human rights, human relations and firearms and the use of police personnel to perform duties which civilians seem more suited to carry out. The report cited too the intelligence capacity and investigative proficiency, the internal and external accountability, service delivery and resources.
The report stated that the police were responsible for the shooting to death of the trio – Allan Lewis, Ron Somerset and Shemroy Bouyea as well as the injuries caused to several others as there was no evidence that anyone else had a firearm which was discharged.
It was pointed out that the discharge of ammunition by the police in the circumstances as described by ASP Todd was justified having regard to the fact that the police were confronted by a very hostile crowd. It was noted that the police had no intention to kill or cause injury to anyone. The report said too that the use of lethal force was not justified in the circumstances.
Instructions
Meanwhile Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee opted not to speak on the contents of the report when approached and said that he was to address these issues during his speech to the police officers attending the conference.
“I have gotten instructions from the president to look at all the recommendations made including the management audit, the administrative audit that coincides with what we have asked the Capita Symonds people to do so we are now looking at it in terms of developing a matrix in relation to what other studies have recommended”, he said.
The report exonerated Rohee on the issuing of any instructions to the police during the events of July 18th.
Asked if he believes that this was an experience that the force can learn from he responded “Oh yes, definitely and the ministry is always prepared to work with the Guyana Police Force to make them become a better force”.
On the issue of supporting criminal charges against the police given the fact that they were found to be responsible, he opted not to comment.
“I wouldn’t want to comment on that at this stage. There are a lot of implications there. There are implications. Remember I am Minister of Home Affairs and a politician so whatever I say is taken up politically”, he told Stabroek News.
He said that he believes that those implications would be known. “The moment Rohee opens his mouth on a specific issue that has political tone, it is noted”, he said.
The minister said that while is satisfied with the police’s operations, the issue of training needs to be addressed.
“Equipment yes. Training, there is more to be done you can never stop training because there is always new ranks entering the force and moving up”. He said that there is always room for improvement when it comes to the Guyana Police Force.
