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COP BEATS 14-Y-O GIRL?

THE OFFICE OF Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched a probe into the alleged beating of a 14-year-old girl by a police officer in Greater Portmore, St. Catherine on Wednesday.

The child claims she was beaten by the officer after she refused to go to him when he called her.

"We (me and some other students) were at the (Greater Portmore) post office and were making a lot of noise. The lady in the post office told us to stop the noise. Then she come out again and seh if wi don't stop the noise she going to call the police," she told THE STAR as they recounted the events that lead to her being beaten.

She said the students continued to make noise and the woman called the police; this frightened the group which quickly scattered. She said she went to the library where she sat down to rest. She said shortly after, the police officer came and told her to come to him.

"He said likkle girl come this way and I said to him I could not come because my ankle was sick," she said.

This response seemed to have angered the officer, whom the teen claimed came over and grabbed her hair and dragged it. He then used his baton to hit her on her hand.

The teen said she had been frightened by his behaviour and questioned his actions: "I seh to him why did you hit me and I didn't do anything and him start curse me and tell me bad words."

She said she told him a bad word and he beat her with the baton on her hand, thigh and buttocks causing swelling, which THE STAR observed during the interview.

The teen was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) by her mother, where she was given pain killers and mineral ice ointment to rub on the swollen areas. "I am not frightened by what happened, but I am sorry it happened," she said.

The teen's mother told THE STAR yesterday that her daughter was unable to go to school because she was still unable to use her hand.

Yesterday an officer at the OPR confirmed that they received a report and are investigating the matter. In the meantime, the teen's mother says she is upset about the incident. "He (police officer) does not have the right to do that (hit her daughter)," she said.

The teen's mother added that her daughter has been slapped with charges for indecent language and she is bringing charges against the officer for assault.

They are to appear the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court next Tuesday.

The mother says she is in the process of getting a lawyer. "I am hoping to get a lawyer; I have spoken to one already and he says he will get back to me."