A police officer appeared in court today, charged for theft after he stole from a business woman while on duty.
On Monday, January 6th PC Peter Graham was working special duty at J&Y Block Factory on Mahogany street when the owner stepped out. That's when he went behind her desk to steal from the cash drawer. The owner found him there when she got back and he said he was just locking the padlock. But when Wang checked, she realized that $550 dollars was missing.
The theft was captured on camera and the video went viral on Facebook this weekend, causing a major black eye for the department. Today we asked the ComPol his reaction to seeing the video.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"My reaction was... I have to hold that back just now. Sometimes I really and truly wonder what goes through the minds of some police honestly. His actions or conduct is disgusting... I won't say much because I have already directed that matter be dealt with. I know we have received a report from the proprietor of the establishment and I had given instructions over the weekend for him to be arrested and charged and I was told that he eventually took back the money with the hope that the matter would not be pursued but believe you me, what I saw on that video footage is certainly something that is unforgivable. We are police officers, we are charged with the trust and confidence of the public. his conduct in that video goes against the grain of what being a police officer is and so he was suspended immediately and I have already directed the legal office to write him, because again as much as the public may be outraged and I agree with them that we all should be outraged, the law requires that we must follow a process and that process is natural justice. So the legal office is going to be writing him today and will ask him in light of the allegation, what is depicted on the video footage, why he should not be dismissed he'll be given 14 days to reply to that letter, he can do so alone or through an attorney and once I get that response from him I will then apply my best judgement looking at his response reasonably and if I should find that his reasons are not justified then I will proceed in his dismissal."
Notably, back in 2018, Graham was detained in connection with a drug plane that landed in Barranco. He was caught in very questionable proximity to the landing but while he was detained, he was never charged and wasn't dismissed from the force. We asked the ComPol about it.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"He was not found as you have said, he was found in a more compromising position, I think the seat from the plane was found in his vehicle. I was not the commissioner of police then so I could not answer that question, he committed an infraction now that I believe is of great concern and I will apply my best judgement in addressing this issue."
Graham wore a Santa shirt to court today for his arraignment. He was bail of $1,500 dollars, which he met. He is due back in court on March 13th.
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