No action against police officers involved in confrontation with PSC chairman

A report on an incident involving two police officers and the head of the Police service Commission (PSC) has cleared the officers of any wrongdoing.

Special Reserve Officers Marlene Gittens and Sean Batson were accused of being rude to PSC Chairman Nizam Mohammed while they were on traffic duty on December 2 on Independence Square.

Mohammed was in traffic and wanted to make a turn into Henry Street. However the officers directed him continue along Independence Square. He made the turn and the officers pursued him. It was at that point Mohammed telephoned the police top brass to complain.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Jack Ewatski checked the complaint and has passed his report to Assistant commission Simon Alexis, head of the North-West Division. However there was no formal investigation.

"I just wanted to get a clear picture from the officers on what had transpired that's why I asked for a report. I have since received and viewed that report and have passed it onto the Assistant Commissioner (Alexis). 

"I have given the ACP instructions on how to deal with it and he would either deal with it himself or delegate someone else to deal with it," Ewatski told the Trinidad Express.

Gittens and Batson reported that Mohammed disobeyed a lawful instruction and caused an unnecessary obstruction and also recommended that Mohammed be charged.

Mohammed had said he was heading to his Queen Street office for a meeting with Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and his deputies, Stephen Williams, Maurice Piggott and Ewatski. He also claimed that the officers were rude to him, a charge both officers denied.