A mentally ill man is currently undergoing treatment at the St. Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital after being pepper sprayed and tased by officers of the Northern Division Task Force West (NDTFW) yesterday.
At 6.50 am, on Monday 2nd November, 2020, NEDTFW officers responded to a report of a mentally ill man armed with a weapon along Hutton Street, St Joseph.
When officers arrived at the location, they saw a man in the middle of the roadway behaving in a hysterical manner towards Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) who were trying to render aid to him.
The police officers approached the man in an attempt to use persuasion, giving verbal commands to calm down and desist.
The man, however, ignored the instructions of the police officers and continued behaving violently.
When the vicious episode continued, police officers became fearful that the man might cause injury to himself and others around him, and an officer. In keeping with the TTPS’ Use of Force Policy, and officer drew her pepper spray, spraying it in the direction of the man.
The man was sprayed in the face and subsequently kneeled, following which officers swooped in and restrained him.
While the police officers were restraining him, the man again began acting violently and attempted to attack the officers.
Another officer, also in keeping with the TTPS’ Use of Force Policy, drew his spark taser, tasing the man twice following which the officers successfully managed to subdue him.
The man was immediately strapped down to a stretcher and conveyed to the St. Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital by ambulance for medical evaluation and treatment.
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