Police chief denies officer drew his gun
THE NATIONAL POLICE chief denied Friday, September 27, that an officer drew a gun during the arrest of a protesting student in face of restrictions contained on the " use of lethal force".
Students of the College of Arts and Crafts Melchor Lasso de la Vega. Were protesting on Transistmica, management decisions on campus.
La Prensa reports that an officer of the National Police ( PN ) yesterday drew his service weapon , a Glock 9 mm , while his teammate arrested a student who was standing alone.
Law 18 of June 3, 2007 or the National Police Act stipulates that the use of lethal force, ie, the use of gun regulation will be a last resort" in case of serious public disorder " and so when the official is at risk of death, that is, in an act of self-defense.
Asked about the incident PN director , Julio Molto, said the officer loosened his belt during a chase and dropped his radio and the gun.
He said the incident was reported and investigated and said that it is " false " that the police have drawn service weapons during protests.
La Prensa captured the office holding his pistol in a series of photographs .The PN agent attached to the motorized group Lynxes , with gun in hand , “walked to the road as his partner captured the student who, at that time, was alone.
Other officials Crowd Control Unit of the National Police were at the site with regular riot gear, some of including buckshot and tear gas.
At the end of the protest, four students and one teacher, allegedly an instigator of the protests, were detained.
The last time a PN official was caught with gun in hand against regulations was reported by La Estrella in February 2012 , during protests against mining indigenous . Estrella carried a front page picture of an officer firing his pistol into a group of indigenous protesters. One of them, a young teenager, was killed.
On at least five occasions during the past four years controversy has erupted over the use of excessive force by agents of the public security institution including deaths and blinding of demonstrators from buckshot.