The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE government will move to make video taping of police interviews mandatory in a bid to end brutality claims, The Tribune understands.

According to a high level source within the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the initiative is being pursued in response to the growing trend by defence counsel to challenge a suspect’s statement on the grounds of coercion.

Another proactive measure in the pipeline is the introduction of notarised witness statements, according to the source, who said that the government was in talks with Justices of the Peace over their possible inclusion.

The source explained that an affidavit would provide accountability measures for witnesses, and greater protection against intimidation.

Legal Affairs Minister Allyson Maynard-Gibson declined to comment on the matter yesterday.

In June, Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez called for cameras to be installed at every police station and all interviews with suspects to be recorded in an effort to ensure officers follow proper procedures and prevent police brutality.

Mrs Weech-Gomez also recommended that the surveillance and control of these cameras and recordings be monitored by a separate department at Police Headquarters, or elsewhere, and that police officers receive training in the proper restraining of suspects at least every two to three years.

Her recommendations to the Attorney General’s Office followed a coroner’s jury verdict of “unlawful killing” in the custody death of Aaron Rolle.

In May, a jury of four women and one man, found that the force police used against Rolle while in police custody was unjustifiable.

Rolle, 20, died at the Southern Police Station on February 8, hours after he was taken into custody for questioning in connection with an armed robbery and escape.