Mario Deane Incident: Police Interdicted, New Guidelines Issued

The Minister of National Security, the Hon. Peter Bunting is to receive from the Acting Commissioner of Police, by Monday the latest, a report on new arrangements for the care and protection of persons in police custody. This in response to a directive from the Minister to the Police High Command last Thursday, within hours of learning of the death of Mario Deane, that there needed to be an immediate and comprehensive review of all the procedures and arrangements governing detentions.

The Minister is also in receipt of a memorandum on the matter from the Attorney General’s Chambers, and after discussions with the Acting Police Commissioner, it was determined that the JCF will apply the following guidelines to persons charged with minor offences such as possession of small quantities of ganja:

1)   Proceed by way of summons where a Justice of the Peace is available.

2)   If a JP is not available, or if the offender is unable to provide identification or is unable to be identified by other means, he/she may be taken to a police station until identification can be verified.  Once identification is verified, the person should be granted bail on his/ her own recognizance.

3)   In exceptional cases (e.g. if the offender is being investigated for other serious offences) persons will be given bail with conditions, or be remanded in custody.

Six police officers, who were on duty at the time of Mario Deane’s injury, have been interdicted and suspended with immediate effect, as investigations continue to determine possible culpability.

The Minister of National Security joins with the family and all well thinking citizens in mourning the death of Mario Deane and reaffirms the government’s resolve to make the necessary policy and legislative changes to avoid recurrence of such a tragedy.