THE POLICE High Command has launched a probe into allegations that a group of police personnel severely abused a St Andrew woman on Sunday evening, breaking her arm in the process.

Karlene Spencer, an artist, broke down on radio yesterday as she recounted minutes of pain and maltreatment by the police.

Late yesterday evening, Karl Angell, director of communication for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said Spencer had filed an official complaint.

"She met with a senior officer of the police inspectorate, and the police commissioner has charged him to investigate the matter," he told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre.

Ongoing search

Spencer said the ordeal began at 9:05 p.m. on Sunday, when two vehicles with police personnel stopped at the gate of her apartment off Waterloo Road in St Andrew. Spencer had just sent off her sister who was visiting her, and was returning to her apartment when she noticed the police party.

Spencer said the policemen proceeded to search a garbage skip from which they removed a juice box. She said one policeman enquired from other residents at the gate who had disposed of it.

According to her, one of the residents told the policeman that it belonged to "Kim". Spencer said the policeman, referring to her as Kim, demanded that she approach him. She said she did not go the policeman, telling him instead that she was not Kim. However, he allegedly continued to call her by that name.

Spencer said that when she insisted her name was Karlene, the policeman apparently got incensed and accosted her, injuring her arm in the process.

Mistreated

She said the abuse continued with other policemen getting involved. According to Spencer, she was later slammed against a police pickup before being hauled into the vehicle.

She said this happened in full view of other residents who were intimidated by the police, so they could not intervene. According to Spencer, one policeman then took her hand above her head and handcuffed her.

Spencer said the policemen took her to the Half-Way Tree Police Station, where the ordeal continued.

"I was handled like a real animal, being taken in that pickup," she wailed.

Spencer said she was finally released from the handcuffs on the insistence of a policeman who came on duty at the station, before she was charged with resisting arrest.

Spencer was later released on bail. She is booked appear in the Half-Way Tree Resident Magistrate's Court on December 5.

damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com