KPS altercation between security, teen heading for court

Relatives of a teenager who was involved in an altercation with a female auxiliary police officer at the Kingstown Preparatory School (KPS) on May 17, say the matter will be settled in court.{{more}}

“We’re not leaving the matter like that,” a relative of the girl told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.

According to reports, last Friday, the 16-year-old girl went to the school to take lunch for her younger sister, who is a kindergarten student at the school.

However, when she got there, she was told by the security officer that she could not enter the compound because of how she was attired.

Reports indicate that the teenager refused to comply with the officer’s request, and a scuffle developed between the two, leaving the teenager with a bump on her forehead, after she was allegedly hit with a baton.

In an interview on Wednesday, acting headteacher at the KPS Carol Ross confirmed with SEARCHLIGHT that the incident did take place, but she was unable to say whether the girl was indeed hit with the security officer’s baton.

Ross revealed that at the time of the incident, she was in her office with a parent.

The headteacher said the girl was brought to the office and when she asked the girl why did she defy orders, the girl asked who would feed her sister.

Ross said she then told the teen that the security officer had the right to restrain anyone who attempts to enter the compound without permission or who does not adhere to the school rules.

The acting headteacher also admitted that she had observed a bump on the young lady’s forehead and assisted her by putting ice on it.

Ross said the teenager had come to the school previously “with her skin exposed” and was told at that time, since she was not aware of the rule, she could enter.

“So, she was allowed to go in one day half naked because she said she didn’t know she couldn’t and here she was the second day and, as I call it, she was wearing young people short pants…

“Young people short pants are short, short, shorts,” Ross added.

A relative of the teenager, who requested anonymity, said while they are aware of the school’s rules, they do not think the girl was dressed inappropriately.

“The short pants she was in the day was not excessively short,” the individual said, showing a photo of the pair of pants the girl was wearing on the day in question.

The relative said the girl admits to being stopped by the security at the gate, but she is not sure what exchange the two had.

“I don’t know what the security told her, to be honest; she said she was going to walk past and the security grabbed her and hauled her back and that was it.

“She pulled out her baton and started beating the child,” said the relative.

With the matter going to court, the teenager’s lawyer requested that her name not be published or any photos of the incident be revealed.

Apart from the bump on her forehead, the relative said the teen sustained other injuries to other parts of her body, including her arms and just above her rib cage.

“Rumours going around saying that she (security officer) saying that the girl fight her.

If you know that girl, she is not a fighter and she is a very quiet individual. She is my family and not to say I am picking up for her, but when I got to the child she was in tears, trembling.

“Even though the child disobeyed the rule, that does not give you the right to beat her with a baton. Come on everyone knows that state of a baton. A baton is a solid heavy thing…

“This is ridiculous and trust, me we are not leaving it like that…” the angry relative said.

SEARCHLIGHT attempted to get a comment from the auxiliary police officer involved, but she declined.

The Police Public Relations Department said the matter is being investigated.