Cops battle over barricades

WHILE the Carnival in San Fernando was generally crime and incident-free, masqueraders were treated to an unusual form of bacchanal when San Fernando municipal police officers squared off and engaged in a war of words with State police over the placing of barricades at the judging point for Carnival bands on Coffee Street, San Fernando, yesterday.

Things took such a turn that Commissioner of Police (CoP) Everald Snaggs, who earlier arrived in the southern city via a National Security helicopter, together with Acting CoP (South) Dennis Graham, had to intervene to cool the situation. In a brief statement to the media shortly after the war of words between municipal and State police officers, ACP Graham noted that he was not fully informed about the incident which occurred between the officers, but promised to investigate the matter. “I am not sure as to exactly what happened between the officers, but I am sure to be fully updated on this incident,” ACP Graham stated. “However, all I can say at this point, is the police barricades are there strictly for traffic purposes,” he added.

Prior to ACP Graham’s response on the incident, CoP Snaggs, when asked about the alleged finger-pointing incident between the State and San Fernando City police, responded by saying, “I am not sure what just took place, but I suggest that you (the media) ask Mr Graham.” Snaggs was airlifted to San Fernando via helicopter to meet with senior officers in charge of Southern Division. He also briefly patrolled the streets of San Fernando during yesterday’s Carnival Tuesday celebrations with other officers.

Newsday understands that around 11.30 am, judges attached to San Fernando Carnival Committee (SFCC) requested that the San Fernando City Corporation police place barricades in front of the judging area, so there would not be any distraction from spectators during the judging of Carnival bands. Soon after the barricades were placed at the requested site, however, a uniformed Traffic Branch officer moved in  and removed the barriers back to its original placing. During the removal of the barricades, the Traffic Branch officer was approached by a senior municipal police officer who wanted to know why the barricades were being removed without any consultation and, thereafter, according to eyewitnesses, ensued a heated argument with finger-pointing between the officers and their respective colleagues who joined in the quarrel.

Some of the SFCC judges also reportedly got involved in the argument. The enraged State officer mounted his motorcycle and rode off,  returning minutes later with a police jeep. With the assistance of another officer, all of the barricades were placed in the police jeep which sped off, while city policemen looked on in dismay. Speaking with Newsday afterwards, the disgusted municipal officers complained about being embarrassed in public by the actions of the Traffic Branch officers. They added that the State policeman had no right to act in the manner he did and that there should have been an understanding between both parties, seeing that they are both responsible for putting law and order in place.