‘The lady didn’t deserve this’ - Senior cop says police forced to make ‘quick decisions’ as Granville continues to reel after police shooting

A senior policeman has expressed reluctance in condemning colleagues captured on CCTV dragging a woman from an incident scene in Granville, St James, moments after she was shot in the chest by a policeman – footage that has sparked outrage over what residents described as “heartless” and “inhumane” treatment.

Latoya ‘Buju’ Bulgin, 45, was pulled from her vehicle, dragged along the ground before officers tossed her into the back of a police service van. The footage carried no audio, but at least one onlooker could be seen screaming as the incident unfolded.

Still, the policeman, who spoke to The Gleaner on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said there are factors the public may not fully appreciate.

“The police can’t pronounce somebody dead. We can only assume the person may be dead. Confirmation can only come from a doctor, and we are obligated to get them to the nearest medical facility as quickly as possible,” he explained.

“I can’t say whether there is any technique or finesse in how such victims should be handled. Ideally, officers should be wearing gloves, and the proper way is hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot. But how someone is lifted often depends on their weight and the situation confronting the officers,” he reasoned.

The officer, who is attached to one of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s rapid- response teams, said lifting an unconscious person into the back of a police pickup can be difficult for just two officers without using some degree of momentum. This is further compounded if the incident scenes are volatile, and the area, crowd, and threat levels are not fully assessed.

“Police are not trained emergency medical technicians, but because of the nature of the job, we are constantly forced into situations – including shootings and motor vehicle crashes – where we have to make quick decisions,” he said.

“By right, police vans are not ambulances, and police are not supposed to transport injured people like that. But based on the reality of policing in Jamaica, whenever somebody is injured, the police usually take them to hospital because we are there to serve,” he continued, noting that officers also risk being blamed for worsening injuries during transport.

The incident has reignited debate about police use of force and the treatment of injured civilians during operations, with several residents condemning both the shooting and the manner in which Bulgin was removed from the scene.

“We have made significant progress between the residents of Granville and the police, and this just erodes that work,” charged Michael Troupe, councillor for the Granville Division.

“How she was dealt with was even more upsetting than the fact that she was shot,” he told The Gleaner. “The children are seeing that video and they are traumatised by it. So how are you going to talk to a child about trusting the police after something like that?”

One of Bulgin’s close relatives broke down while recalling how the family received the news.

“Right now, I am just lost and can’t understand all of this. The whole community is upset, and fires light day and night,” he said, referencing continued protest over her killing.

“I don’t know what they would have told me if she did have her little grandson in the vehicle with her because they are always together,” he continued, noting that the child has repeatedly asked for his grandmother since the incident. 

“The lady didn’t deserve to die like this. Right now, I cry till the tears just dry up. Right now, it’s just pure memories. I don’t even know how to feel anymore,” he told The Gleaner.

“We want justice – not just for her, but for all the youths in Granville the police killed.”

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) said it was pursuing all necessary processes and, “at the appropriate time, due to the high public interest, will provide further updates”.

INDECOM noted, however, that the handling of the wounded Bulgin alone would not automatically trigger a separate probe unless investigators determined that the manner in which she was transported contributed to injury or death.

Despite claims from some onlookers, it has not been confirmed whether Bulgin was alive when officers removed her from the vehicle and placed her in the police pickup.

“How the victim’s body was handled clearly was not in keeping with any human rights standard. The JCF High Command – the commissioner himself – needs to clarify what policies exist regarding pronouncements of death and how victims are treated,” argued Mickel Jackson, executive director of Jamaicans for Justice.

“There is an allegation in the community that the woman may still have been alive after the shooting. I don’t know the veracity of that, but it is something the investigation will have to examine,” Jackson said.

The footage showed no signs of first aid being rendered or no special care being made to ensure that Bulgin’s airways remained open during the transport and that her neck and spine were supported – all critical steps in transporting injured people, according to medical experts.

Jackson also expressed concern over footage showing officers repeatedly struggling to close the tailgate of the vehicle after Bulgin was placed on the cargo bed.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com