July 7, 2020

Cops Involved In Morvant Killing Get Taken Off “Active Duty”, TTPS Questions PCA’s Recommendation For Suspension

By Newsroom

Even as he announced that the officers involved in the June 27th killing of three men in Morvant would be taken off active duty, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith questioned the recommendation by the Police Complaints Authority that he suspend the men, given there are no formal murder or manslaughter charges laid against them.

“With immediate effect, all those involved in firing their weapons during this incident would no longer be on active duty, either operational or administrative. I expect that the Police Complaints Authority’s findings would be sent to me as quickly as possible for me to take decisive action and disciplinary action, if required, or to ensure the officers report to full duty based on the findings,” Griffith said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

He added: “This is not in anyway to be seen as a sign that the officers are being accused or blamed or disciplined for wrongdoing.”

Griffith said it was not common place for the PCA to make such a recommendation, questioning whether the body did so in an exercise of bias. 

“It is (usually) a recommendation based on criminal action be taken or disciplinary action be taken. For you to say the type of action that must be taken, that is where there is a problem.”

Head of the legal department at the TTPS, Christian Chandler, said the Police Complaints Authority acted outside of its powers in recommending the officers be suspended.

Meanwhile the Top Cop revealed he has ordered 1,000 body cameras which will be mandatory for his officers to wear. A few weeks ago, National Security Minister Stuart Young revealed in the Parliament that the TTPS only had some 180 working body cams.

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