National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang, has labelled as wrong, the behaviour of the retired Deputy Superintendent of Police who was pepper sprayed by a constable.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
It’s reported, that the constable asked the retired DSP to exit his vehicle, as he would be arrested for not having his driver’s licence on him.
The DSP had been stopped, reportedly because of overtaking a line of traffic.
In reacting to the video, Dr. Chang noted, that the driver – the retired DSP – reacted badly to the officer on duty.
Dr. Chang, however, acknowledged that the constable could have responded differently to the situation.
In the meantime, citizens are being advised by both the Police High Command and the Police Federation, to always obey the instructions of officers, when stopped for traffic checks, or violations.
The advisory follows the circulation of a video on social media, showing a male driver being pepper sprayed by a policeman.
It was later reported that the driver is a retired deputy superintendent, while the officer on duty is a constable.
In a statement today, the high command said, an investigation has been launched into the incident, by the Inspectorate of Constabulary (IOC).
The high command said it insists on professionalism, being extended by cops to members of the public.
Meantime, Chairman of the Police Federation Sergeant Patrae Rowe says cops on the road have legislative authority, to enforce the law.
Sergeant Rowe says, investigations will determine if the constable acted according to the JCF’s rules and regulations.
And, the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) has indicated that it is too early to make a judgement in the so called pepper spray cop case.
Indecom launched a probe into the matter, after the video of the incident went viral on social media.
The video depicts a male driver, later identified as a retired deputy superintendent of police, allegedly disobeying a request from a police constable, to exit his vehicle.
The constable then pepper sprayed the driver.
Deputy Commissioner of Indecom Hamish Campbell says agents are collecting statements from the constable, the retired DSP and others.
He says the pepper spray is a standard non-lethal device, used by police officers.
How and why it was used by the constable, is yet to be determined.