The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) has launched an investigation into a viral video showing a uniformed Rapid Response Unit (RRU) officer violently striking a civilian in the stomach, the force confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.
The footage has sparked widespread outrage, with many condemning the officer’s actions as unacceptable.
The RGPF acknowledged public concerns, assuring citizens that the incident is being taken seriously.
“This behaviour does not align with the standards upheld by our organisation” the statement read, promising that appropriate action will follow once the investigation is complete.
However, for many Grenadians, this latest incident is part of a larger issue.
Allegations of police brutality have been on the rise, and legal professionals have been calling for an independent body to investigate law enforcement misconduct.
Among them is American-trained attorney Jerry Edwin, who has been vocal about the lack of oversight in Grenada’s policing system.
“Since, I think in 2021 when we observed that there is no independent body to investigate police misconduct I thought we were living in topsy-turvy land because in every society everywhere there is an independent body that investigates official misconduct.
“There is a committee here in Grenada to investigate and to ensure that the legislators know that Parliament conduct their financial affairs in a particular manner – there is nothing, nobody to investigate the police so I think this is one way to ensure that at least the investigation, the interview is conducted in a sanitised environment that is above question,” Attorney Edwin remarked.
The defense attorney has also been pushing for urgent reforms in the way police interrogations are conducted, particularly after two (2) of his clients both facing capital murder charges claimed they were beaten by officers to obtain confessions.
Edwin suggested that “all police interrogations should be videotaped to ensure transparency, protect suspects’ rights, and uphold the integrity of the justice system.”
“When you have two individuals facing the most serious charges in our legal system alleging that they were beaten to confess, we need to take a step back and reassess our procedures. A course correction is necessary,” he remarked.
The attorney emphasised that recording interrogations is standard practice in many countries and could easily be implemented in Grenada at little to no cost.
“There is no cost barrier to this. It can be done with a mobile phone or a basic video camera,” he said.
“This isn’t about building new courthouses or increasing budgets. It’s a simple, effective step that modernises the process and removes any doubt about how police conduct interrogations,” he added.
Under Grenadian law, any assault on a person in police custody could result in the case being dismissed, regardless of the severity of the charge.
In one (1) of his cases, Edwin has already filed an application to have the murder charge dismissed due to the allegations of police abuse.
“If there is substantial proof of guilt, the last thing anyone wants is for a case to collapse on a technicality,” he stated.
“Justice must be done for both the accused and society as a whole. But we cannot simply take a policeman’s word for it, we operate in an adversarial system where cases must be proven fairly and lawfully,” Edwin added.
Edwin has urged authorities to implement videotaped interrogations immediately, stressing that such a move would protect both suspects and the reputation of the police force.
“Recording interrogations would ensure that the hard-working men and women of the force are beyond reproach. It’s a simple fix that would strengthen public trust in law enforcement,” he argued.
As legal proceedings continue, Edwin awaits a court ruling on his application to have the charges dismissed.
If the indictment is upheld, he is prepared to take the argument to a jury trial, where allegations of forced confessions could become a key issue.
“This isn’t just about one officer or one incident. Every society needs a system in place to ensure law enforcement is held to the highest standard,” he remarked.
