West Dem. Police Commander defends actions during mini riot

Apr 28, 2011 News

Commander of the Police, West Demerara Division, Assistant Commissioner Balram Persaud says that he will continue to fulfill his mandate to ensure that the rights of citizens are protected.
The Commander was responding to allegations by residents of Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, of unprofessional conduct. These allegations were leveled against himself and his ranks in the aftermath of last Monday night’s confrontation between the police and revellers.

Commander of the West Demerara Division, Assistant Commissioner Balram Persaud

Both civilians and police continue to blame each other for the mini riot, which left several civilians wounded and three ranks injured.
Eyewitnesses have accused the ranks of beating and firing indiscriminately at peaceful participants who were on the seawall, while Commander Persaud remained adamant that the police operated in the correct and professional manner.
“I am pleased with my ranks and the way they operated,” the Commander told this newspaper yesterday, even as the Police Office of Professional Responsibility has mounted an investigation into the incident.
Police in a statement issued on Tuesday said that about 19:00hrs on Monday, ranks from “D” Division (West Demerara/East Bank Essequibo) commenced closing down music sets that were playing at Easter activities in the Division.
These areas included the Joe Vieira Park at Schoon Ord, West Bank Demerara, the Windsor Forest Seawall, West Coast Demerara, and Kastev Housing Scheme, Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara. It added that during the day, the police at the Leonora and Den Amstel Police Stations had received several reports of noise nuisance from citizens.
“Initially, the operators of the music systems at all the locations complied and the sets were turned off. However, at about 19:45hrs, a stereo system at the Windsor Forest Seawall, for which no permission was granted to play, started to play loud music again,” police said.
“Further reports of noise nuisance were received…and police ranks Corporal 18372 Sherwin Smith, Constable 20724 Oswin Fordyce and Constable 20483 Kevin Fileen, went and requested that the operators turn off the music system.”
According to the statement, persons on the seawall began to throw stones, bottles and other missiles at the ranks and rushed them and attempted to take away their firearms.
“As a result, a scuffle ensued between the police ranks and the group of men during which the ranks received injuries to their bodies but managed to hold on to their firearms and arrest five of the men who were taken to the Leonora Police Station.
“Later, about 20:15hrs, information was received by the police that persons were blocking the public roadway at Windsor Forest and were burning tyres and other materials on the roadway and obstructing the free flow of traffic.
“The police went to the scene and came under attack with bottles, stones and other missiles being thrown at them and the police responded by discharging a round from a shotgun at the crowd which caused them to disperse.
The police also arrested eight more persons who were also taken to the Leonora Police Station.
It was subsequently found that two motor cars and a minibus that were parked on the Windsor Forest public road were damaged and this is suspected to have been done by persons among the crowd.
The three injured police ranks were treated at the Leonora Cottage Hospital and sent away.
Commander Persaud said that his Division is one of the safest in the country and he intends to keep it that way.
According to Persaud, who has had to deal with public unrest on a number of occasions while serving in the city, in Berbice and now on the West Demerara, unlike other divisions, the West Demerara has seen a significant decline in robberies, fatal accidents and domestic violence over a considerable period of time.
Persaud admitted that he did discharge a round to disperse the angry Windsor Forest crowd, but stated that he only did so in the interest of the safety of his ranks.
“I am quite clear in my conscience that I did what was correct to protect the interest of the state,” Commander Persaud said.