The harshest blow yet to the already blemished image of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) has been delivered by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), with the findings of its independent investigation into the April 22 fatal shooting of PC Clarence Gilkes in Rich Plain, Diego Martin.
In what was described as “one of the clearest examples of abuse of police power” that it has investigated to date, the PCA found that the police officers involved in that ill-fated exercise deliberately misled acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob. The PCA has concluded that the officers shot at an unarmed civilian and PC Gilkes became their “unintended target.” The police officers’ accounts of what transpired on that Friday afternoon have been proven false and the matter has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further action.
The PCA’s findings do not come as a surprise. In fact, it fully aligns with the autopsy on the body of PC Gilkes, 44, which concluded that he was shot from behind.
Serious reputational damage has been suffered, not only by the TTPS but also Commissioner Jacob, who, on the evening of the incident, was forceful in his claims that a war was being waged on the police by criminals.
Mr Jacobs was quick to dismiss the possibility of PC Gilkes being shot by one of his colleagues. He was also quickly on the scene to endorse the TTPS version of events—that the officer had been shot and killed by gunmen in the area— and to oversee the search for Jehlano Romney, who was pursued for several days as the main suspect in the killing.
Now that the facts point in a completely different direction and there is the conclusion that Mr Jacob was misled by officers under his command, the acting Commissioner cannot exercise the option of silence in this matter. This issue has evoked strong public responses, calling into question police actions in this and other high-profile cases, warranting a statement from the leadership of the TTPS.
Since the report has also been sent to the acting Commissioner for follow-up, some action is expected from him in the coming days. This might also be an opportunity to make public the findings of a parallel police investigation into the incident, which should have been concluded by now.
Given all that has transpired in this matter and the damning conclusions arrived at by the PCA, Mr Jacobs and his officers must ensure that from now on, there is complete transparency in every aspect of this case. That includes resisting the urge to shield the officers involved in the incident who may soon be facing the justice system.
Now that the PCA has made its findings public, the focus also shifts to the DPP’s Office for a determination of what further action is to be taken. There are other cases referred to the DPP by the PCA on which action is still pending, including the police killing of three men in Second Caledonia, Morvant, in June 2020.
These cases continue to evoke strong emotional responses from the public. In addition to the tragic loss of lives, this was a betrayal of public trust by officers whose motto is to “Protect and serve with Pride.”
It is no wonder that there is so little public confidence in the TTPS.