Police deny allegations of mistreatment of detainee

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The police cantonment complex. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE Singapore Police (SPF) responded to a video interview alleging police ill-treatment of a man taken into custody last year, saying the man’s statements gave a “misleading impression” because he hadn’t set out all the facts.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, June 29, the SPF said it was aware of the video interview posted on the socio-political website The Online Citizen Asia, in which the man, See Kian Beng, claimed that he was being held in the police. lock-up longer than necessary on February 14, 2020.

See also alleged in the video that:

the police had placed him in a padded cell and he was alone inside, although he had mentioned that he suffered from claustrophobia;

the police immobilized him and used excessive force to drag him into the padded cell, causing him injuries;

the police ignored his request to go to the bathroom and he ended up urinating in his cell;

no food was given to him;

the police refused to let him call his family members;

the dungeon’s medical staff ignored his concerns about his high heart rate;

his car was returned to him only after a long time.

Arrested for drunk driving, but passed BEA test

SPF said in the press release that See was arrested for drunk driving after failing a breath test taken at a police roadblock along Boon Keng Road at around 3:40 a.m. February 14, 2020.

He was taken back to the detention center at the police cantonment complex at around 4 a.m. and was treated for detention pending another breath analysis test through the breath analyzer machine. (BEA).

“In the jail, See was taken into care by nurses on two occasions and he was deemed fit for detention,” said SPF.

“At around 4:40 am, after a few attempts to provide a BEA test sample, See passed the BEA test performed in the box with a recorded result of 31 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, which was just below of the legal limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath. “

The story continues

SPF said that since See was legally arrested after failing his initial breath test, he was treated in accordance with the rules applicable to those arrested and taken into custody.

This included carrying out a search, verifying his identity, a medical examination and assessment of his condition to determine if he was fit for detention, and registering his property.

Set up resistance against entry into the padded cell

SPF said in the press release that after See completed his BEA test attempts, he was escorted to a temporary detention area to await his release processing, pending confirmation that he was not. required for further investigations.

However, See refused to enter the Temporary Detention Area because he told officers he was claustrophobic and would hurt himself if placed in the Temporary Detention Area.

“He insisted on waiting along a common corridor, which would affect the movement of people, including other people in detention, within the facilities,” said SPF.

Officers explained that he couldn’t wait there, but he refused to budge. See continued to ignore officers’ repeated instructions to move into the temporary detention area and warned officers that he could get hurt.

“Given his threat of self-harm and out of concern for his safety, officers decided to transfer See to a padded cell instead, using a wheelchair. See put up strong resistance to entry into the cell. padded and wrestled with the officers.

“Despite the officers ‘repeated advice, See refused to comply with the officers’ instructions. The officers therefore had to apply the necessary force to physically move him into the padded cell.”

At around 6 a.m., See asked to use the toilet. Arrangements have been made for more officers to escort See to the bathroom due to his earlier struggle.

The SPF said that when the police arrived in the cell, See was observed to be asleep and therefore did not wake him up. Before that, See had been allowed to use the toilet twice around 4.30am and 4.55am.

When breakfast was served around 6:25 a.m., an officer checked See and found him asleep. As such, he was not served breakfast.

Complaint filed, but police found no wrongdoing

SPF said that during its examination it could not find any recording of Sees’ request to make phone calls. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that there was no sign of See’s limp or discomfort when he finally left the padded cell. He could walk normally and was escorted by officers.

He added that See was unconditionally released from police custody around 7.40 a.m., around four hours after his arrest, and was told to collect his vehicle later that evening for security reasons. See then recovered his vehicle the same night.

“Police do not usually hand over vehicles to people arrested for drunk driving immediately after their release because they may still have alcohol in their bodies, which could affect their faculties and cause them to present. a risk for themselves and other road users if they are allowed to drive the vehicle too early, ”said SPF.

Shortly after his release, See filed a complaint and wrote to give his opinion on his detention experience. Police had asked See to request a medical examination following his complaint, and the medical form provided by See indicated that he had suffered minor injuries, including grazes to his right knee and a two-centimeter laceration to his right knee. .

The injuries appeared to correspond to the struggles he waged when police attempted to place him inside the padded cell, SPF said.

Police conducted internal investigations, including reviewing CCTV tapes, and found no abuse or wrongdoing. The findings were sent to See in June 2020.

See then wrote again on June 2 of this year to inquire about the matter. SPF said it had tried to contact him on two occasions and offered to arrange a further interview with him to find out his concerns. However, he declined to be interviewed.

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