Probe Continues into Alleged Police Brutality in San Pedro

Earlier this week, we heard from the Commissioner of Police on a viral video showing a police officer pistol whipping an individual in San Pedro Town. Today, when we caught up with ComPol Williams at an event in San Ignacio, he provided further details on the incident. As ComPol Williams told us on Wednesday, two minors approached Sergeant Makin and informed him that they were being chased by masked individuals who were armed. He explained that officer Makin pursued the individuals and that is when the encounter unfolded that was captured on camera. Today, ComPol Williams told reporters that he has read the statements provided to police by the two minors, a thirteen and fifteen-year-old. He has since instructed investigators to seek clarity on certain details that the minors provided. Here is what the commissioner had to say.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“As I said before the matter is still being investigated by P.S.B. I managed to get a read of the statements yesterday that were given by the two minors who had stopped mister Makin and reported to him that they were being chased by these individuals. The statements do need further clarification and I have instructed the investigators to go back to these persons and ask more questions so that we can get more clarity on these statements. One of the things that came out is that based on what the minors were saying is that they had passed the place initially with a female and while they were passing one of the persons hanging out may have been cat calling the female and she did not reply to them. So after they dropped her off and went back to go to their respective homes they had to pass the same location again and this is when they were pursued by the people who were masked. The issue is that, again from what I have read, is that after the incident occurred, the young men, the two young men, did not go to the police station right away. They went until the following evening. Now after the incident occurred with Sergeant Makin the young man went to the station and made a report. But at that particular time the police had not received the report from the two minors. So they did not detain him. They issued him the medico form and he went to the doctor. By the time he finished with the medico form the minors and their parents came in and gave their statements. There are some issues to the statement I have. One of the issue is that the minors would not be able to identify who those persons were that chased them, for the simple fact that they were wearing mask. But if we can have some clarity in terms of the type of clothing that the two chasers were wearing and if we can compare with the type of clothing the young man had that had an encounter with Mr. Makin then we can say that is the same person. But it is important to note that the same group that young man was in is the same group responsible for the chasing. Whether or not he was doing the chasing I cannot say at this time until we can have some clarity on the matter.”