PCA probes police incident with CoP's daughter

THE Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has launched an investigation into alleged abuse of authority by police during a traffic stop involving T'Shauna Griffith-Bain.

She is the daughter of Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith.

A video which appears to be of Griffith-Bain and her husband Davian Bain being stopped by Couva police owing to broken fog lights has gone viral on social media.

While they were at the side of the road, there was a verbal clash as police prevented Griffith-Bain from getting her phone. They claimed she said, "I am exempt from this because I am the commissioner's daughter," which she denied.

The officer recording the video told her, "Ma'am, you need to change your attitude," to which she appears to respond, "No, you need to change your attitude."

Police then accused her of demonstrating "disorderly behaviour," which they said is an offence, and reminded her that they are "not her father."

At one point, a WPC appears to ask, "Why is she speaking to people like that? She can't speak to people like that."

Another officer asked the woman's husband, "How you does deal with this?" adding that she "cannot be raising her voice" at him.

Throughout the video, which is eight minutes and 36 seconds long. Davian is calm, repeatedly thanks the officers for doing their job and complies with them.

In the end, no ticket was issued to the couple.

Although he could not indicate whether the couple had made a complaint to the authority, PCA chairman David West confirmed to Newsday that investigations are under way.

Newsday also understands that on Wednesday afternoon, representatives from the PCA visited the Couva Police Station to get the station diary to assist with the investigation.

Initially, the police reportedly refused to surrender it until a senior officer arrived and handed it over.