The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says 168 people were shot and killed by police last year with most of those killed unarmed.
INDECOM Assistant Commissioner, Hamish Campbell, speaking at the Commission’s fourth quarterly media briefing, said “the significant proportion of people have neither a weapon of any sort or if they do have a weapon, it’s not a firearm”.
Campbell said in 2016 and 2017, more than half of the 155 people shot and injured, 81 of them did not have any weapon at all and as such, could not be classified as “the dangerous gunman.”
Meanwhile, INDECOM has reiterated its concern that neither the Police Service Commission (PSC) nor the Commissioner of Police has initiated disciplinary proceedings against 20 senior cops cited for wrongdoing.
INDECOM Commissioner Terrence Williams said despite submissions made, dating back to 2013, action is yet to be taken.
In a report to Parliament, INDECOM said it had written to the PSC in June last year inquiring why it has not acted on the investigations on the matter in the past two and a half years.
But it said the PSC had responded by indicating that it does not conduct investigations and that it takes into consideration reports from the Commissioner of Police.
INDECOM said it wrote the PSC again last October and was told that the matter had been sent to the Attorney General for an opinion.
But the police oversight body said that it wrote the PSC in January again seeking answers and despite the absence of a comprehensive response, it may be viewed that the PSC considers itself unable to initiate disciplinary proceedings unless, and until, the Commissioner of Police submits a report.
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