Insulting treatment from Police

THE EDITORS: It is amazing how members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service deal with the public nowadays. On Friday, I had a most unpleasant encounter with two officers on Independence Square. I had turned onto Independence Square South from Chacon Street without stopping. Despite the fact that there was no oncoming traffic, I concede that I was wrong. I was immediately pulled over by a squad car. However the treatment that I received can be described as nothing but unprofessional.

For starters, the abusive language was quite intolerable. And when I say abusive I mean the kind of stuff that neither TV6 nor NBC can air at any hour of the day. I’m not sure if that type of language is acceptable in the Police Service, but I’m pretty sure that if I had responded in a similar manner I would have been immediately arrested. The insinuations that I had “bought my licence” were a bit disturbing, however I tried my best to remain calm and listen to the logic that I figured must have been somewhere in the words coming out of the officer’s mouth. Refusing to grovel, I stood my ground to which one of the officers warned, “I notice you are very cocky. Don’t think because of your skin you can get away with anything.”

I view this comment as brutally insulting and due to the fact that I was not issued a ticket (in fact there were no grounds for me to be given a ticket), the only thing that I can come up with is that this was a plain case of discrimination. It is one thing to be pulled aside and shown right from wrong, but when that is coupled with verbal abuse, allegations of fraud and discriminatory remarks, something is definitely wrong. If it is that possession of a gun gives police officers the right to act and speak as they please, then it is no wonder that people have complained of being severely brutalised by members of the police and army recently. I hope that the public does not accept such unprofessional treatment from any member of the Police Service and that anyone encountering such treatment reports it to the Police Complaints Authority.

JASON NATHU
St James