Cops detain fighting students

AN EMERGENCY Rapid Response (E999) policeman yesterday pulled his service pistol amid a large crowd of students who had gathered along St James Street, near Carlton Centre, San Fernando, awaiting transport home.

The officer pulled his pistol after a man started arguing with the police, shouting that they (the officers) could not detain any students under the age of 18, without an adult to accompany the students. At the time, the officers pulled up in two E999 patrol cars which contained female students. The students, pointed out to the officers a group of female students who were standing at the side of the road, awaiting transport.

When the officers started questioning the female students, an unidentified man intervened saying the police were wrong to interrogate the students without an adult present on behalf of the students. When the man was ordered to leave by the police, he continued shouting, causing one of his officers to draw his pistol, while the crowd moved back.

Moments later, the officers left the scene, taking a group of students to the San Fernando Police Station for questioning into reports of fights last Friday among gangs from warring South schools. Students who were taken away by the police were seen to be wearing uniforms from Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive, Servol (La Romaine) and Ste Madeline Junior Secondary Schools.