CoP should lay charges

Police Commissioner Trevor Paul recently admitted that the police are failing the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. He is to be commended for this, since the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that there is one. At the same time, words are not enough. If the performance of police officers is to be improved, strong action is necessary. And a recent case provides at least one opportunity for the Commissioner to take such action. Earlier this week, 18-year-old Devon Sookdeo won damages against the State for beatings inflicted on him by police officers attached to the Chaguanas Police Station. The young man suffered cuts to his back and bruises on his buttocks and legs as a result of being beaten with a bullpistle and other devices.

After being beaten, he was charged with marijuana possession. It is perhaps not coincidental that this is the same police station where media photographer Stephen Dubay had his camera damaged by a police officer — an incident which the Association of Media Photographers has called on Commissioner Paul to also investigate. In the more serious case of Devon Sookdeo, the amount of the damages is still to be decided by the courts. We hope it will be considerable, for such incidents are already far too common and becoming more so. Indeed, it seems that the main method police officers now have of  “solving” crimes is to beat confessions out of suspects. We are flabbergasted, for example, that a bullpistle is apparently part of the equipment kept in the Chaguanas Police Station.

We also wonder what would have happened if Sookdeo had simply pleaded guilty to the charge, as he stated in his testimony the officers told him to do. Most likely, this incident would never have come to light. Indeed, there may well be hundreds of such incidents which never reach the courts. But the most important question is this — what happens next? Can Sookdeo feel safe, knowing that he has triumphed over the officers who, from the facts of the case, seem to have had some personal grouse against him? In fact, those same officers had better hope that nothing untoward happens to the young man, since fingers will surely be pointed at once in their direction. But Sookdeo’s attorney, the indefatigable Anand Ramlogan, hit the nail on the head when he said, “Winning the action will not bring any change to society unless the Police Service Commission (PSC) initiates action against these officers.” But we do not see why society needs  to wait on the PSC.

By finding in favour of Sookdeo, the courts have in effect also decided that there is a prima facie case of assault against the officers involved — PCs Adams, Calliste, and Valdez. Commissioner Paul should make it his business to see that these officers, and others who may have been involved in this incident, are charged forthwith. This is the kind of strong action the Commissioner needs to take if he wants to back his strong words. Too many police officers fail to understand that their uniforms make them more, not less, subject to the law. And, if the police do not respect the law, nobody else will. That attitude is what Commissioner Paul and other senior officers need to change. The nettle is before him — we wait to see if he has the fortitude to grasp it.