PCA investigating abuse claims

THE Police Complaints Authority (PCA) will investigate allegations of abuse by police during riots in East Port of Spain on Monday.

PCA Director David West made this disclosure to reporters after the launch of Transparency International’s 2017 Corruption Perception Index at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business in Mt Hope yesterday.

West said, “The investigation is in its infancy and we have only now began the investigation.” He said an investigator has been appointed.

West said this investigator will, “now go out and do the letters to the police stations et etcetera about the video recording, the station diaries...amount of men with firearms etcetera.”

He added, “Usually we get a fairly good response from the police when we ask for that information.”

Asked how soon the PCA expected to receive the information it is seeking from the police, West replied, “We normally give a timeline of about 30 days initially.”

He said this time line is “flexible” because the PCA understands that it could take time for the police to provide some of that information.

West stressed, “We are honest and we will be monitoring the investigation.”