Six officers charged after probe into escape of prisoner

Five police officers and their supervisor are facing internal charges of neglect of duty by the police’s Professional Standards Unit following a probe into how triple murder accused Delano Forbes escaped on February 12.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Atlee Rodney confirmed the information and explained that the next step is in the hands of the Commissioner of Police, Wendel Robinson.
“They have been charged and then there’s the trial. No date has been set as yet. Now that they have been charged the file would be sent to him. None of them [has] been suspended for that. That determination is to be made by the Commissioner of Police,” he explained.
The police have withheld the names of the officers and OBSERVER media was unable to verify them all. Once all the names become known, they will be published.
The Professional Standards Unit spent the past week and a half investigating how 23-year-old Forbes escaped from the five officers who took him to his hometown, Swetes, reportedly, to gather evidence in relation to one of the murder cases against him before the court. Up to last night, he was still a fugitive and residents were still unnerved.
The officers who are facing the internal charges include four corporals, one of whom is a female. One of those corporals who was reportedly supposed to keep Forbes at his side, has an additional charge of discreditable conduct.
Two of the other corporals involved are crime scene photographers.
Another officer has the rank of sergeant and the supervisor of the group which went out with Forbes, is a senior sergeant. They are all from the Serious Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit.
The supervisor was charged for allegedly failing to inform the head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the operation which saw his five subordinates taking the prisoner from the jail to Swetes shortly before noon on February 12.
Since four of the officers are corporals, their matter would have to be referred to the police commissioner, while the two higher ranking cops would have to face the Police Service Commission which deals with disciplinary matters, among other things, for officers from the rank of sergeant and above.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)