Two police officers are under investigation after a video of them pushing and slapping a man in a wheelchair in San Fernando went viral yesterday.
The video, which had been shared almost 2,000 times by yesterday afternoon, was seen by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Joanne Archie, who immediately ordered an investigation into the incident.
Warning: video contains coarse language.
“I am livid,” Archie said.
“We really cannot condone that type of behaviour in the police service.”
The video, which was recorded on Saturday on Lower High Street, San Fernando, shows an unidentified man in a wheel chair being pushed into oncoming traffic on a one-way street by a female police officer before hurtling into a parked vehicle.
Less than a minute later the man was slapped across the face by a male police officer, dressed in a jersey and jeans, who appeared to show him his badge before the confrontation.
“I sent the video to Senior Superintendent in charge of the Southern Division (Cecil Santana) and he will identify the officers and begin an investigation immediately.
Archie expressed anger and disappointment over how the officers handled the matter.
She said the police officers took an incorrect approach to the situation.
“Whether he was in the road or whether he was abusive and using obscene language he could have been arrested.
“Depending on his mental state, they could have taken appropriate action but the officers used physical force and that situation did not require the use of that level of force,” Archie said.
The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) , in a media release, announced that it would also conduct an investigation into the incident.
“The PCA is aware of a video that has been circulating on social media of alleged impropriety of persons who appear to be officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
“Pursuant to the functions of the Police Complaints Authority Act, the PCA has initiated an independent investigation into the incident.”
The PCA called on the eyewitnesses to the event or people with information on the incident to kindly contact the PCA at 800-2PCA or 627-4383 or email to info@pca.org.tt.
In a brief telephone interview yesterday, CEO of the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) Beverly Beckles was left momentarily speechless after viewing a copy of the video forwarded to her by the Guardian.
“This is certainly unbelievable that a human being could treat another human being, wheelchair or not, in this manner,” Beckles said.
“I am confused. These are human beings.”
She said it was unfortunate that the incident had to occur since the terrain in San Fernando was not accessible for people with disabilities.
San Fernando’s city centre is made up of sloping hills.
The NCPD is located in San Fernando.
“There are no walkways or pathways for people with disabilities who use either crutches or wheelchairs and the pavements are high and usually quite crowded,” Beckles said.
“As individuals and citizens we ought to be respecting each other. This is crazy. I feel as though as a society we have completely lost it, if officers who are there to protect and serve are treating people like that.”