Deputy Police
Commissioner Glen Hackett, mandated to probe the conduct of Assistant
Commissioner of Police Peter Reyes aboard a Caribbean Airline flight BW
1528 last Thursday, has formed a team to assist him.
Newsday
understands arrangements were being made to interview the pilot duty
manager Sherwin Seyjagat and flight attendants Karen Wilson and Lieko
Sue Hong.
The interviews were expected to take place at the
Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain. The team of officers
assigned to the probe were dispatched to the Airports Authority
yesterday to solicit a copy of the names of the passengers who were
seated in the same area where Reyes was seated when the incident
involving him and a flight attendant when the aircraft was taxiing on
the runway took place.
Police are hoping to use this information
to make contact with the passengers to get a clearer picture to
ascertain what may have taken place between Reyes and the flight
attendant last Thursday shortly after 4 pm.
This information
along with statements collected will then be used by the investigators
to determine the line of questioning for Reyes when he is interviewed.
Newsday
understands the probe is expected to be completed in quick time once
the passengers are contacted and cooperate with the police.
Reyes
has alleged that he sought the assistance of two passengers to assist
him turn off the Black Berry Q-10 phone assigned to him, but they were
unsuccessful.
This phone has a stand-by power on and off button which is visible on the top part of the phone.
However,
Reyes was in possession of the Q 10 phone during the months he was an
acting ACP prior to his being assigned as an ACP in charge of Tobago. He
is alleging that the phone was new to him and he was not familiar with
the features, therefore he experienced difficulty in switching off the
handset.
Reyes, who was promoted last Wednesday, was supposed to fly to Tobago to take up duties there.
It
is alleged that shortly after 4 pm while the aircraft was taxying on
the runway of the Piarco International Airport Reyes’ phone rang twice
and he was advised to switch off the device.
He is alleging he
made attempts to do so however, one of two flight attendants claimed
Reyes was abusive when asked to switch off the phone.
The flight
attendant is alleging Reyes told her she was attacking him because he
was not white and she claimed this was said to her in full view of other
passengers.
It was at this point that one of the pilots was
alerted and he contacted the security department resulting in five
estate constables escorting Reyes out of the aircraft.
The passengers were then placed in another aircraft and the flight eventually took off at 5 pm.
Reyes
was interviewed by an estate sergeant who deemed that he committed no
offense and he made attempts to secure another flight to Tobago, but was
told to return on Friday. Two flight attendants and the pilot went to
the Piarco Police Station at 12.05 am on Friday last and reported the
alleged conduct of Reyes. This prompted Acting Commissioner Stephen
Williams to mandate Hackett to probe the incident.
Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt
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