St. Peters: --- Several students were beaten by police officers yesterday afternoon when police was called at least twice to deal with school fights. It is understood that police received a phone call to deal with a school fight and they went to the Milton Peters College and dealt with the matter, but less than half an hour later they were called again for yet another fight. This second time around the officers responded in record numbers to the school and began a search.
The management team of the school which involves Mrs. Yvette Halley, Mr. Aventurin and Mr. Garren head of security told members of the media at a press conference called at the school that they had at least two very unfortunate incidents at the institution. Garren said in the first incident two students got into an altercation and they had problems with managing one of the students. Garren said based on their school policy they called in the police to deal with the student in question. The chief of security said the police was called just before 11:30 am. He said even though the security guard was trying their best to restrain the student that was not possible. He said when the police arrived at the scene they removed the student in question.
Garren said even though unfortunate this type of things takes a snow ball effect because the students would then become agitated. He said this caused a second incident between some other students which was not related to the first incident. He said these students were taken to the school's office and because the police was in the area they went back to the school and they decided to carry out a control and check the students. Garren said the sole purpose of the control was to make sure that the situation at hand could be managed easily.
Garren said whenever the police get involved the school management has to step aside especially since the police came with a large contingency since they were somewhat alarmed at the second call.
Garren said they instructed all the students to go back to their classrooms and await further instructions from the school management. He said some of the students refused to comply with the orders of the school and even when the police ordered them to go back to their classes they did not cooperate. Garren said those students who did not comply with the orders of the police were dealt with in accordance with the police. Students were slapped a number of times while one female student said she was hit with a baton while on her way to her classroom. Eyewitnesses to the scene said a police officer slapped a young boy about five times and the student did not budge until he was thrown to the ground handcuffed and placed into the police vehicle.
He said they as management are grateful for the support they received from the police since the police responded in record time. Yvette Harley said they are calling on parents to instruct their children to comply with the orders given to them by management or the police who is called by the school management. She said if the students followed the instructions then there would be no problems. Halley said they are planning to take this matter one step further as they would seek to discuss the matter of insecurity around the schools with the necessary stakeholders, which would include the island Lt. Governor, Prosecutor and the police as well as parents and guardian. She said they would be putting forward some solutions on the table which would have to be discussed by the stakeholders mentioned.
Garren said they are appealing on parents to take on their responsibilities since these students are not following instructions given to them. He said some of the student blatantly ignored the instructions given to them both by the school management and the police.
At the police station yesterday several parents and students claimed that the students were manhandled during the control. Garren said they are concerned about the attitude of their students who did not follow instructions when given to them. He said if the students were manhandled they could not intervene in this matter since they themselves have to respect and obey the orders of the police. Garren said he did not witness any police brutality except to say the students were restrained and the necessary force was used in the exercise.
He said they would need to continue to evaluate the situation on Monday since they need to take further steps. Garren said they already met with the school board who is yet to decide on the disciplinary actions that has to be taken. The intention is to meet with the parents of the students who had to be removed from the establishment by the police. While he could not say exactly what type of measures would be taken he said the parents would definitely have to major role to play in restoring their children's behavior.
Garren said when they cannot deal with a situation they have no other choice but to call the police. He said they pleaded with the students and did all that was possible to restrain the students. He said whatever happened at the school is a direct result of the disobedience of the students. He said he hoped that the parents would not idle on what happened during the control instead they need to focus on the cause of the situation. He said he felt that the police used the amount of force that was needed to restrain the students at the time of the incidents.
Up to press time a comment from the police department was not forthcoming on the matter.