ComPol Says QRT Officers Used Excessive Force in Orange Walk Incident

Chester Williams

According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, having interviewed several other individuals, there is nothing to suggest that the fleeing motorcyclists fired at the pursuing officers.  He went a step further to explain that the motorcycle has since been examined by a mechanic who also confirmed that the bike does backfire when being geared down.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“The investigators have interviewed a number of persons and recorded statements from them.  But other than the police officers, no one else is saying that they heard any shots fired at the police or they saw anyone firing at the police.  We have not come to that as yet, so for now, we are operating under the perception that it could be that as the young men have said, that the motorcycle that they were on have the muffler removed and because of the removal of the muffler, it makes a lot of noise.  When you gear down, it will make a backfire sound.  And, as a part of the investigation, I had directed this morning that Mr. Jones takes the motorcycle to a mechanic to verify if in fact the motorcycles would be capable of making such noise.  That was done and the mechanic does confirm that the motorcycle does in fact makes those noise.  So we are still in limbo where that is concerned.  My thing is that from what I have seen through the investigation is that the force used by the police officers in that particular incident was excessive and it ought not to have occurred.”