(Trinidad Express) A video has emerged on Facebook showing a policeman slapping a man in a wheelchair, and a policewoman pushing his wheelchair downhill along a busy street.
People have expressed outrage over the callousness of the actions of the police officers, and want action to be taken.
The Express has learnt acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and National Security Minister Gary Griffith have been shown the video, and the case is being investigated.
Southern Division Senior Supt Cecil Santana has described the actions of the people in the video as a disgrace to the Police Service.
The video, which is less than two minutes long, has attracted the attention of thousands of viewers as by yesterday afternoon there were almost 28,000 views and it had been shared by 2,270 people.
One of the persons who commented on the video on Facebook was a person fitting the description of one of the police officers seen in the video.
That person commented: “The man cussing ppl and want to spit on the gentleman wen d man tell him bout it but that’s police brutality.”
Griffith said he knew of the video and the matter was being investigated. He said, “I am aware that the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) is fully aware of the situation. Also, the Commissioner of Police and the matter is being investigated. So until the investigation is completed it will be inappropriate for me to make any statement at this time.”
A prominent attorney also commented on social media: “Look, I too do not know and do not care what the guy in the wheelchair did. This is outrageous!!!! Slapping a guy in a wheelchair!! Police officers do not have the right to abuse citizens…this is assault and battery.
“Whatever he may have done (it appears that he is being accused of cursing an officer) this treatment is against the law. The officer was not defending himself and not under any perceivable threat. Who is this officer?? He should be charged!!! We need to do something about the calibre of officers that we have. This must certainly be a big part of why crime continues to be out of control.”Santana said yesterday the police officers are to be investigated immediately. “The Commissioner (of Police) has instructed that the Professional Standards Bureau begins investigations into the matter immediately,” said Santana. The Express was told by another senior officer that the officers in the video are attached to the Rapid Response Unit in Mon Repos, and that both appeared to be off duty.
“If he was on duty he would have to be in police uniform since he is not a detective,” the senior police officer said, adding that the woman police officer appeared to be working on an “extra duty”.
The Express was also told they are both Special Reserve Police officers.
Santana said: “I want to assure you that no stone will be left unturned and the appropriate action will be taken against those officers.”
Santana said he had seen the video. “It was a disgrace to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. Those are not the kind of officers that we want in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service,” he said.
EMPLOYEE: Wheelchair man abused me
The video was shot on High Street, San Fernando, around 4 p.m. last Saturday, and when the Express visited the area yesterday, several vendors and store employees said they had seen the man, and had witnessed the incident. The wheelchair-bound man could not be located. Most of those persons said the man should not have been beaten by the police officers.
A store employee who witnessed the incident said the man earlier that day left the San Fernando General Hospital and had a catheter and other apparatus hanging from the wheelchair.
“He was just showing the woman police officer monkey face and gave her the middle-finger. I think they treated him unjustly. The situation could have been handled better than that.”