In a pre-dawn operation on Friday – a team of three police officers raided a home at the corner of St. Mark’s Street in the King’s Park area. The homeowner, a Taiwanese man, says that one of the police planted a ziploc bag with cocaine in his house. And then he claims that another officer stole $500 in cash from a small paper bag. And then the two others demanded $1,500 – and told him that if he didn’t pay his family would be taken to the police station. Judging by a police press release, it seems like a proper shakedown.
But what the report doesn’t say is that 127 rounds of ammunition were also found. But, as we understand it, some strings were pulled – and a senior officer called and told the officers to desist from the search and return with the cocaine which was handed over to internal affairs. As we understand it, the ammunition was left at the residence – allegedly on orders from higher ups.
The three officers involved have been identified as Corporals Clifford Alvarez and Sam Bonilla and PC Emerson Castillo. They have been assessed with only disciplinary charges; police have opted not to charge them criminally. Those charges are “prejudice to good order and discipline” and “bringing the Police Department into disrepute.” They go to tribunal next week and are on interdiction with half pay pending the outcome of that.
