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Police Minister Says Taylor’s Alley Ops Will Be Investigated
posted (March 22, 2012)
And so while their complaints are pending with police, for a political directorate already impatient with the GSU - the pattern of behavior is a headache that's turned into a migraine.

You'll recall that before the election, both the Prime Minister and the Mesop Area Representative Michael Finnegan publicly criticized the GSU for their tactics.

Now with this latest action - the gang truce managers are concerned that the GSU's actions threaten to undermine a truce that is more fragile than ever.

That has forced some crisis meetings at the political and truce-keeping levels where the question has been: "What are we going to do about the GSU?"

It's relevant now, because the unit no longer has protection from Minister Doug Singh - who was unelected. The minister is now John Saldivar, who is keenly aware and responsive to political pressures - and he has decided to investigate the incident.

Saldivar granted us an interview just a few minutes ago. First thing he said is that maybe the GSU is not solely to blame, since it was a joint operation. Since we got the interview just minutes before newstime, we air it uneditted:..

Jules Vasquez
"Minister Saldivar you've heard about the ordeal that the men of Taylor's Alley say they endured at the hands of the GSU. What is your position on GSU going forward?"

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"What we've been able to determine so far Jules is that it was a joint operation and it was not on the GSU that was involved in the exercise last night. We have not yet been able to confirm any acts of police brutality, but we do believe an investigation into what took place last night and so tomorrow I'll be naming a two man team of hopefully former commissioners of police to investigate what took place last night so that those if they are guilty of any transgression maybe brought to be punish."

Jules Vasquez
"The critics would say that it exhibits a pattern of behavior. Yes it may have been other units along with the GSU, but in the streets they are many of the thinking that whenever the GSU shows up it's to brutalize people."

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"This investigation should be able to reveal whether that perception is true or not and we are determined to get to the bottom of the truth because we are determined as a government and as ministry and as a department of police to support the efforts towards the gang truce at this time and we will do nothing to jeopardize that truce."

Jules Vasquez
"Is the GSU by its actions jeopardizing that truce?"

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"It may be the perception of gang members that that is such but we want to assure all including the general public that the government is firmly behind the gang truce and in no way encourage any action that will jeopardize it."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, this is police or former police investigating police. You expect a fair outcome from that?"

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"We are hoping to pick men of integrity. I am sure that they will understand the importance of this exercise and in maintaining the integrity of the police department or at least re-gaining the integrity of the police department and in ensuring that a true and fair investigation is done, an investigation that is fair both to the department and those that were involve from the department and to those who were apparently the victim of brutality."

Jules Vasquez
"Finally, are you under pressure from people in your government? I know Mr. Finnegan, for example, who is the Area Representative for Mesop where this occurred, has told the press that he is fed up with the GSU going into his area and roughing up people."

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"My position has been stated since I became the minister of police that I will maintain a department that is firm against criminals and criminal activities but at the same time we understand the need to be compassionate, to be fair and to be just to our citizens and that is the department that I will run."

By tomorrow the shape of things to come should be more apparent.

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