Soldiers, police clash in Arouca

WHAT started as a police officer simply doing his duty ended with a bloody fracas between officers of the Arouca Police Station and members of the joint army/police patrol.

According to reports, around 2.30 am on Boxing Day, Constable Curtis Regaldo of the Arouca Police Station was travelling in a maxi taxi from Arima to his station when a passenger began to curse the driver. The constable warned the passenger and the man blurted out “You can’t arrest me.” The officer held on to the man and a struggle ensued causing the vehicle to be stopped at the Arouca junction where the fight continued outside. An army jeep with members of the joint army/police patrol (two soldiers and two police officers) which was passing at the same time, stopped at the scene and without question one of the soldiers began beating Constable Regaldo. The shocked, screaming policeman was dragged from outside the maxi to the waiting army jeep from where he was beaten all the way to the Arouca Police Station where Regaldo works.

At the station, the beating continued and when sentry Constable George attempted to come to his colleague’s rescue, he was cuffed in his mouth. A second sentry PC Harripersad who shouted, “You can’t do this here” got an army-issued “Galil” automatic rifle stuck in his waist and the keys for the property room demanded. The men who continued the beating, assisted by one of the police officers, dragged the hapless Regaldo to the station cell and locked him up, then threw the keys on the station floor before driving away. Senior police officials were later contacted and the injured officers were taken to the Arima District Hospital where they were treated and discharged.

When contacted, senior officers re-mained mum on the situation, but confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the situation. The joint army/police patrol under ACP (Crime) Oswyn Allard was re-introduced in October as part of the Government’s initiative in its fight against crime. Ironically last Wednesday a team of officers headed by Acting Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs, and including Chief of Defence Staff Ancil Antoine, ACP Allard, other officers and dignitaries made on-the-job visits to various joint army/police patrol sites between Princes Town and Port-of-Spain where they spoke to the officers, residents and business people. However, irate officers have confirmed to Newsday that all is not good with the programme and will be looking to see if there will be any “cover up” in this investigation. Several efforts to contact Acting. CoP Snaggs and ACP Allard were futile.