A police constable, who was shot in the line of duty, is suing the State for failing to provide him with full ballistic protective gear.
Through his attorneys, Saira Lakhan and Kristian Dass of Magnus Attorney At Law firm, PC Andile Ansar Mohammed filed the claim against the Attorney General.
He was shot in his leg on October 7, 2020, during a raid at a property at St John Street, Chaguanas.
The officer is contending that the State was negligent as it failed to provide him with full ballistic personal protective gear, including knee protection, despite the known risks associated with armed confrontations before he was assigned to accompany the Gang Unit of the TTPS to execute a warrant on the day he was injured.
PC Mohammed further claimed that he was only afforded a ballistic-proof vest on the day of the incident.
However, there were no ballistic shin pads, knee pads, elbow pads, multi-protection ballistic body shields, ballistic helmets or other ballistic protection gear available for his use or for the other police officers assigned to the gang unit on that day.
The officer said he was even left in a position where he had to use his funds to purchase protective gear online for his safety due to his inability to obtain PPE.
PC Mohammed was assigned to the TTPS Central Division Robbery Squad but on the day of the incident, a request was made for him to accompany police officers from the TTPS Gang Unit/ TTPS Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit with a warrant to search the property on St John Street.
According to police intelligence, one of the suspects was Hispanic and there were illegal firearms and ammunition at the property and there may have been undocumented Spanish-speaking people or victims of human trafficking.
PC Mohammed was asked to assist because he was fluent in Spanish and could have assisted with the communication barrier.
When PC Mohammed and other officers arrived at the address, they were met with gunfire and they returned fire. PC Mohammed was shot in his right leg and another officer was shot in the abdomen.
At the time of the incident, he had eight years of service.
Since the incident, Mohammed claimed he has had to endure several years of pain and suffering in his right calf and continues to endure moderate pain based on his activities.
—SASCHA WILSON