(Trinidad Guardian) Fifteen days after Western Division tactical officer PC Clarence Gilkes was killed during a police exercise in Diego Martin, three police officers have now been suspended, alongside a major shake-up in the division.
This latest development was announced by acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob yesterday, during the T&T Police Service’s show, Beyond the Tape, hosted by Supt Roger Alexander.
In thanking the director of the Forensic Science Centre and the entire staff for working to accelerate ballistic testing on the weapons of Gilkes’ colleagues who were involved in the exercise, Jacob admitted he had to make decisions after receiving that report.
“I have placed three officers of the Western Division who were directly involved in the incident on immediate suspension in order that the investigations can continue in the receiving of further information,” Jacob said.
He also said he had appointed the Senior Superintendent of the Criminal Investigations Department to head the investigations jointly with the Professional Standards Bureau.
Jacob said several senior officers were also transferred out of the Port-of-Spain and Western Divisions and “the Senior Superintendent of the Western Division will be proceeding on approved vacation leave.”
Jacob, however, did not divulge what the ballistic report contained.
When the incident occurred last month, police initially blamed Diego Martin resident Jehlano Romney for Gilkes’ killing. They claimed they went to Rich Plain Road, Diego Martin, after receiving a report of men being seen there with high-powered weapons. When they got to the area, the officers claimed they were fired upon and Gilkes was hit.
However, an autopsy report confirmed Gilkes was shot in the back of the head and Romney was cleared of this charge and the focus of the probe changed to focus on the officers involved in the incident.
On Thursday, in an exclusive interview with Guardian media, Romney said he had no weapon that day and said it was the officers who attempted to kill him but instead shot Gilkes.
The Police Complaints Authority, headed by David West, is also continuing an independent probe into the incident.