Elite Unit Questioned on Operating Procedure

Andres Makin

In the face of specific details being provided by the GSU Commander, there are a number of inconsistencies.  Firstly, Superintendent Makin states that his men fired only three to four rounds when entering the marijuana plantation.  That account is being refuted by Cameron Usher Senior.  He was apprehended at the location, while his son Kelvin ran for cover during the shooting.  According to Usher, as many as fifteen shots were fired during the operation.  Secondly, the officers did not bother to pursue the fleeing teenager which points to a breach of protocol nor did police initially report that there was a second person in the area when they fired shots.  The head of the elite taskforce began by commenting on the spent rounds.

Supt. Andres Makin, Commander, Gang Suppression Unit

“When it comes to the expended shells I was told that yesterday when the Scenes of Crimes went on the scene apparently they did not recover any expended shells.  But as far as I was briefed by my people, it was around three or four shots that were fired in the air.”

Reporter

“Okay, now the report is that the GSU took their expended shells after firing whichever shots they fired.  Has anyone indicated, has any of your officers indicated that indeed this is what they did?”

Supt. Andres Makin

“No, I haven’t gotten that information.”

Reporter

“Is it unusual that expended shells would not be found if it were fired in a controlled area or a known area?”

Supt. Andres Makin

“I should think so, yes.”

Reporter

“Okay, so that would be an inconsistency.”

Supt. Andres Makin

“Well, what I am saying is that I haven’t been told or there’s nothing to indicate that the shells were removed and I haven’t gotten any information in regards to that. Immediately after we learned that a minor was involved and so forth, persons from Ladyville, CIB and so forth began the investigation.  And PSB has also been engaged.”

Reporter

“Was there any moment that after this operation concluded, meaning that the plantation was burned or the plants gotten rid of, is there a possibility that GSU elements went back when no civilians were there, because you were mentioning that when they went they went back they saw relatives, they encountered relatives there and they were already searching.  People in that village are saying that the GSU went back in, at that time I don’t know if they were aware that a minor was in fact missing.  The father had not been able to make a report as yet back to his family that the minor was unaccounted for.”

Supt. Andres Makin

“That’s not true.  That’s not true.  We never did go back on our own.  That’s not true.”

Reporter

“Okay.  And as it relates to standard operating procedures, I’m questioning what you say in relation to firing shots.  If you fire shots as you enter an area, you have the potential of not getting the effect of catching people red-handed.  Also, is it standard operating procedure that someone who runs off is not followed?  That doesn’t sound like SOP either.”

Supt. Andres Makin

“Well, the different circumstances will dictate and we will not shun from the fact that shots were fired, but what I’m saying is that whenever you’re dealing with marijuana plantations and so forth, you will always try to clear before you go in because you don’t know who is around or who would be around, or what type of, if they are armed or so forth.  So we do that for a clearance.”