Now that a deputy director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) was sworn in by President Anthony Carmona, head of the authority, David West, says the PCA is now fully constituted to initiate their independent investigations into incidents involving police officers and mentally ill patients.
Recently, public outrage sparked where two mentally ill patients were killed by police officers in separate incidents.
In March, mentally ill patient, Paul Marchan, 30, was shot and killed after he reportedly attacked a family member and tried to stab two police officers at Richplain, Diego Martin
Also, in May, mentally ill patient Miguel Rodriguez, 24, was fatally shot by an off-duty police officer during an altercation near a bar in Moruga.
The country’s first female deputy director of the PCA, Michelle Solomon-Baksh, received her instrument of appointment yesterday.
West, while being questioned by members of the media following the brief ceremony, said t since the resignation of the former deputy director in May, the authority was not fully constitutional and thus could not proceed with requests, investigations and recommendations.
West said with Solomon-Baksh now assuming the position, he will proceed to write to acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and ask him to send reports of what transpired in the recent incidents.
“Retroactively, we will now start to initiate and look and see what has been done, audit and monitor the investigations,” West said.
He added that recommendations will also be made with regards to training police officers to deal with the mentally ill and handicapped.
“We are looking at other countries and what they do to train their officers and go along those lines. I have already been speaking to the acting commissioner of police about it and on the way forward,” West said.
West, in welcoming Solomon-Baksh on board, described her as an “excellent hardworker” and one in which her integrity is unquestionable.
