After striking the first blow, a hire car driver in New Amsterdam was severely beaten by a police constable causing consternation and triggering a probe.
The police constable was on Monday attacked by the hire car driver in New Amsterdam after the driver committed a traffic infraction.
According to information gathered, sometime around midday Constable 23719 Walker was performing traffic duties along Strand Public Road, New Amsterdam in the vicinity of the New Amsterdam Market, when he noticed, HC 8428, which was being driven by Narine Ramdharry of East Bank Berbice in a no stopping area outside of the market.
Stabroek News was told, that Constable Walker approached the driver and informed him of the offence he had committed. At that point, the driver became visibly upset and began to verbally abuse the police officer, this newspaper was told.
At this stage, Constable Walker ordered the driver to step out of the vehicle to which he refused and started to rev his vehicle. The police officer then attempted to remove the driver’s keys from the ignition resulting in the driver exiting the vehicle and chucking the rank several times after which the rank was dealt a cuff to his face.
In a video that has since surfaced on social media, Constable Walker then retaliated and started to return punches to the driver.
Commander of Region Six, Boodnarine Persaud yesterday stated that both the police constable and driver were medically examined. According to the Commander, no one was placed under arrest but he stressed that the matter is being investigated.
Commissioner of Police (ag.) Clifton Hicken yesterday in a statement to the press expressed his dissatisfaction over the incident. According to the report, the Commissioner said that an investigation will be done with some degree of alacrity in an effort to mitigate this type of behavior as he appealed to the public to cooperate with the police, and vice versa.
“The police does not and cannot operate in isolation, thus the need for partnership and cooperation between the Police and the public one that should be premised on mutual trust and cooperation while exploring every avenue to maintain law and order in society,” the statement quoted Hicken as saying.
Additionally, according to the statement, the Top Cop wished to assure the public that the “police force is working on postures and strict adherence to SOPs aimed at ensuring that ranks are professional in the discharge of their duties, even in the face of harassment and intimidation from non-cooperating civilians.”
