Shortly after a video surfaced on social media of a Police Officer using excessive force on a man who seemed to be resisting arrest, Police Commander Errol Watts said he will be dealt with “condignly”.
The Commander told sections of the media that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) does not and will not tolerate the excessive use of force.
The recording showed that the policeman who was seen dragging a man into a cell, is attached to the Wales Police Station on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
The incident occurred at around 23:00h on Friday evening.
Reports are that the man in the video allegedly drove a car into a canal at Wales on Friday evening and while patrolling in the area, he was picked up by ranks and taken to the Wales Police Station.
The man was later asked to take a breathalyser test, but refused and became abusive. It was then the officer tried to arrest him.
The video recording further showed that the man was being arrested by an officer but resisted and in retaliation, the officer walked up to the man, chained both of his legs and pulled the chain forward, resulting in the man falling to the ground, hitting his head and back.
The officer then dragged the man into the cell and locked the door. At that time the man’s family was heard screaming and telling the officers that the man hit his head on the ground. He was subsequently released the same night.
The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into the matter.
