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PCA: Disciplinary action for police not wearing body cams

IN THE wake of three fatal police-involved shootings in five days, which has left five people dead, Police Complaints Authority (PCA) director David West said police officers found not to be wearing body cameras during these incidents could face disciplinary action. Deputy Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin said, however, this may not be a feasible course of action as there are not enough body cams to equip all officers. West made the comment as he addressed the two most recent incidents which saw four people killed less than 24 hours apart in Longdenville and Laventille. On January 21, police killed three alleged bandits minutes after a robbery at a supermarket on Ragoonanan Road. At around 9 pm, police responding to a report of a robbery at Da Hua supermarket, on the corner of Ragoonanan Road and Welcome Road saw a silver wagon speeding away from the supermarket. They tried to intercept it but the occupants allegedly began shooting at them before crashing into a ditch near the Southern Main Road. Two occupants ran off while three were found injured inside the wagon. They were taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility, where they later died. Less than 18 hours later, police shot a man while responding to a report of a chopping incident in Eastern Quarry. Police say when they arrived, Shakeem “Fabi” Nickie , 22, was attacking another man. They told him to stop but he did not comply and they shot him once in his upper body. He was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he died. Those two incidents came days after Sharida Ali was killed during a shootout between police and bandits on January 18.shot Ali, 36, of Kelly Village, Caroni was liming at a friend’s home on 19th St, Beetham Gardens when gunfire erupted outside. Police and soldiers were involved in a gunfight with bandits who stole a car at gunpoint in Tunapuna and crashed it on the Beetham Highway when police tried to intercept them. The bandits escaped and Ali, who was shot in the head through a window, died minutes later. Speaking with Newsday on January 23, West said the PCA will investigate the facts of all the shootings including whether any officers failed to wear or activate their body-worn camera. “What we are looking for is if the police officers had worn their body-worn cameras. And if not, why not? Because there is a departmental order that mandates them to put on their cameras as soon as they leave the station.” West said any officer who failed to turn on or wear their camera was disobeying a direct order issued the Commissioner of Police. “It is a disciplinary offence, and that is what we will recommend to the Commissioner of Police (CoP). (Wearing your body camera) is a departmental order and so that is failure to comply with a departmental order.” Although the penalty for disobeying a departmental order could range from a warning to dismissal in the most serious of cases, Benjamin said disciplinary action was not a realistic proposition. He said while there is a departmental order regarding the use of body cameras, each case must be decided on its own merit as there are not enough to equip all officers. The shortage of body cameras has been highlighted by the increased number of police patrols during the state of emergency, as police have been called out from leave and vacation to bolster the available forces. “The fact that we do not have for everyone, it will be unfair and unconscionable for us to say at this time that we are going to do that. You have to make sure that you have enough for everybody before you do that.” Head of the Police Social Welfare Association (TTPSSWA) Gideon Dickson said he was “in full support” of Benjamin’s comments. Benjamin was unable to say the number of body cameras available to police, but at a standing finance committee meeting on October 17, 2023, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said the police had 1,121 available, 192 waiting to be cleared by customs, and an additional 3,120 will soon be purchased. Newsday understands the additional cameras however have not yet been delivered due to administrative issues. Benjamin warned, though, the lack of body cameras will not stop police from defending themselves. “We are seeking to encourage people to not engage the police. If you do, the police will respond in accordance with the use of force policy.” The post PCA: Disciplinary action for police not wearing body cams appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.