JFJ head says police treatment of Gordon Town woman 'disturbing'

Horace Levy, Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice, has described as disturbing, objectionable and completely inhumane, the treatment meted out to an unidentified woman in Gordon Town, St. Andrew by a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force on Saturday.

     

The incident is recorded in a video that was posted on social media. It shows the woman, who was resisting arrest and cursing the officer, being pulled by her hair on the ground. The male officer also knelt in her abdomen.

     

Mr. Levy has said he supports the move by the police to investigate the officer involved regarding the use of force.

     

"One doesn't know what the woman was doing. So far, the charges have to do with the tussle, so there are no charges brought against her for some prior act which presumably would have led the police to want to arrest her. Until one knows what that is, one can only assume that the police are only dealing with her on, perhaps, something she said to them, but that's not a basis for that kind of treatment to somebody. So an investigation is called for - there's no doubt about it," said Mr. Levy.

 

The Inspectorate of the Constabulary is probing the incident, and a report is expected to be submitted by Tuesday to Commissioner of Police Dr. Carl Williams.  

     

The unidentified woman has been charged with using indecent language and unlawful wounding. She has been granted bail.