A police officer on duty in Kingstown drew his service pistol in an apparent attempt to break up a fight between two secondary school students on Friday, one of whom is said to have had a knife.
The incident occurred on Halifax Street, between The Inland Revenue Department and the former NCB building, which now houses the Registry.
A witness said that the students engaged in the fight, two boys, seemed to be Form 2 or Form 3 students.
The students were dressed in blue shirts and trousers, but iWitness News was unable to determine what school or institution they are enrolled in.
It is not clear what caused the squabble, but a video of the incident posted on Facebook shows the officer holding one of the students and walking in on a pedestrian crossing towards the other students, who is being held by someone else, seemingly a civilian.
But the student who was being held by the civilian broke free and charged across the street toward the police officer and the other student.
It is not clear if the police officer released the boy he was hold or if the boy pulled free as the other student charged across the street.
But one of the students can be seen chasing the other as the police pulled out his firearm, which was concealed under his black and white uniform.
At the same time, a police officer in civilian clothes moves into the frame and runs after the boys.
The un-uniformed police officer touches his colleague on the arm, seeming telling him to put the firearm away as the officer who was not in uniform pulls the boys apart.
The police officer with the drawn firearm, a semi-automatic pistol, is seen cocking the weapon twice as his colleague holds one of the boys.
A uniformed officer from the Special Services Unit (SSU) — a tactical squad – and a civilian held the other boys, until the other uniformed officer, still with his gun in hand, come over and hold him behind the collar and begins walking away.
He then turned back and handed over the boys to the SSU office while he sheathed the gun before walking away with the student.
A witness told iWitness News that one of the police officers said that one of the students had a knife, but the witness, who said he did not see how the fight started, said he did not see any of the students with a weapon.
Voices on the video, obtained separately by iWitness News, can be heard saying that one of the boys had pulled out a knife.
My understanding is that police all around the world are taught and trained not to draw their firearms in such situations. In particular, they are instructed not to draw their firearms unless they intend to use them to protect themselves and/or others from lethal assaults.
Also, what happened to the baton and billy club?
This officer should be charged with dereliction of duty.
Ben your comment is so on point, but we must remember SVG is a World all by herself, where any and everything is done outside of what is considered right or normal… Vincy style and I am loving it, but of course from the outside.
I should have said “abuse of power” rather than “dereliction of duty” because this cop went way over the top pulling his Glock on a young lad.
As we all too well know, the police force is by far the worst public service in SVG.
That’s because in SVG its not a public service it is a regime service used to control the public and enforce the regimes wishes.
This is so unfortunate. It goes to show that children no longer has much respect for authority. Gone are the days when police officers where respected. In spite of it all, perhaps it was not necessary for the police officer to draw his weapon, but until the circumstances are reveal for him doing so we would not know. With the recent killing of a police officer we must understand the dilemma. However, I think the police office brandish the weapon in his hand far too long, even after his colleagues appeared on the scene. SVG, like the rest of the world, is not immune to this type of situation, especially now where every student fight is becoming a hit sensation on social media. My only issue here is that the office had his weapon drawn for far too long. Was it necessary for him to draw his weapon in the first? Maybe or maybe not! But this is a different world we are dealing with today and these kids could be as dangerous as ever.
The ideal scenario is one where the Police effectively intervene without using a weapon or a threat of a weapon, and I know the usual characters who will use this opportunity to demonize the police for “excessive force,” after all, that position fits nicely with the anti-ULP agenda. However, we don’t know the facts and with the little we know, we have to give the police credit for 1)intervening, as all too often they just stand by and do nothing, 2)showing restraint in not using the weapon, and 3)for diffusing what could have been injury and or death of 1 or more persons, especially where we know that these ‘children’ do in fact carry weapons and do not hesitate with inflicting serious bodily harm. So, kudos Mr. Police Officer. You did your job this time!
Now Mr. Commissioner, let’s start dealing with the out of control high crime rate in this country! And, one other thing: I understand you have had for sometime now a “robust” finger print database, so why are you still generally not taking finger prints from crime scenes such as burglaries/robberies?
Is this you again David?
SVG Police Officers carry an 18 inch baton or truncheon. They are carried for forced compliance and self-defense by law-enforcement officers.
The pulling of a lethal weapon on this occasion must be classified as an illegal act by the officer.
It is obvious in the light of this matter that the officer has proved himself unfit to carry a firearm and should not be allowed to carry a weapon. The safety is in danger from such an individual being armed.
Had he fired the gun in the crowded area could have resulted in the death on innocent passers by.
If Ben Exeter can be prosecuted on charges by twisting the meaning of certain Acts. Surely in the case of this policeman they can prosecute him for something real.
Where is Ben Exeter’s gun holster?