Galindo Family Alleges Police Abuse of Minors

The Galindo brothers from Santa Elena Town are notorious figures in the eyes of the public.  Back in June, a shooting incident claimed the life of David Galindo, the older sibling. When David was rushed to the hospital, the brothers and other family members were accused of damaging public property at the San Ignacio Community Hospital, as well as threatening medical workers. Several individuals have been charged for disorderly behavior in relation to that incident. Subsequently, Santa Elena Town began experiencing a sharp increase in violent crimes, including murders. There is no public information to suggest that the incident involving the Galindo brothers is at all connected to this increase in major crimes. Dozens of police officers, including members of the G.I.3., have since been deployed to the twin towns to keep the peace. And the Galindo family are tonight saying that they are being constantly harassed on their property by those police officers. The family reached out to our newsroom today after an incident this morning in which they are accusing police officers of physically abusing several minors during an operation on the property. News Five’s Paul Lopez report.

 

Mynor Galindo, Santa Elena Resident

“My point why I address the media, and it is concerning me now because we adults we get locked up many of times and that is not really my concern, but like what the commissioner says, he wants bring pressure he could bring pressure, but now when you want to interfere with children and I have video footage of it.”

 

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

A police station was inaugurated a week ago in Santa Elena to address the crime situation in that town. Mynor Galindo says he has spent forty-eight hours behind bars, including within the new police station, at least twenty times over the course of the last three months. Police accuse Galindo, his brothers and other family members of being members of a gang. Mynor Galindo refutes those claims, though his main concern today was the children that live on their family property.

 

Mynor Galindo

“When you start interfere with children weh dah eight-year-old, nine-year-old, to carry them, actually carry them, back ah the house to ask them certain things, now you gone too far.”

 

News Five has obtained surveillance footage of an operation this morning. What we have been able to gather does not show much by way of abuse of authority. But, the family contends that it is because the officers disconnected their cameras and demanded that they do not record on their phones. There is one instance captured on camera that was brought to our attention. A senior officer from the Santa Elena formation was captured confronting another officer that was with the team. This happened while several individuals from the property were detained in the back of the police mobile. Galindo’s account is that the second-in-command was confronting the next officer over the ill treatment of the minors in the yard.

 

Mynor Galindo

“That happened this morning, around nine this morning all of we the sleep in our home, even the kids. They come knock down this and that, wake up we, nothing nuh wrong, like I said nothing wrong for them to do their operation, their patrol. The one from the GI3. Wah strapid one him. All of a sudden, the GI3 have its own office here. I won’t talk bad about them, because they have a job to do, but he the mek it his business to deal with the pikni deh. When he mih the dreg up the lee gial and do certain things even the, the one after Franco come out of the yard notice that you the mess with a lee bway or a lee gial.”

 

Paul Lopez

“I have to ask if these children are being used any at all to carry out any sort of illicit act because they can be viewed as innocent.”

 

 

 

Mynor Galindo

“Like what I told them, I dah Mynor Galindo and I know unu hear about me. If unu have any concern and want deal with me, deal with me. If unu want send me dah jail on an SOE send me, but please stop harras my family.”

 

We also heard from the children’s grandfather, David Young, who was brought to tears after reportedly witnessing the ordeal.

 

David Young, Father

“I nuh the live wah lovliest life……twenty years over, the police nuh live dah me and I dah nuh know wah alien deh and I know deh have better police man than what I see. Lesgo and I jump way deh and try hold his hand and a next one the try grab me. Deh thing is totally wrong. Lef the child lone. Dende dah the future of tomorrow.”

 

 

 

We also heard from Mayor Earl Trapp who, following the spike in major crimes within the twin towns in late June, supported the deployment of police reinforcement. Today he told us that he is not aware of all the details pertaining to the incident but that, while officers are necessary to uphold the law, children must be protected.

 

Earl Trapp, Mayor, SE/SI Town

“When we are advocating for security, for a safer municipality we need the police to uphold the law but at the same time I believe the police have bene trained and they must provide a service with principles. WE must understand that adults are adults and minors are minors. There is a law and we must protect our children.”

 

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.