ASSISTANT Police Commissioner Leon Bethel vowed that if the two officers who allowed a handcuffed suspect to free himself and steal a patrol car are found to have not followed the proper procedures laid out by the Police Force, they will face “severe consequences.”

Having caused the Force considerable embarrassment, the matter has now been turned over to Deputy Commissioner Quinn McCartney and the Complaints and Corruption Unit for further investigation.

ACP Bethel said: “These are police officers with a few years on the force. They did not just pass out. One has a good number of years. The other is a more junior officer, but they are well qualified officers. Although we are investigating the conduct of these officers, I am thankful to God I have my officers because anything could have gone wrong.”

The male suspect, who stole the police car, had been handcuffed and put in the back of a vehicle while the two officers attempted to capture another suspect in the Carmichael Road area on Monday morning. Seeing the car keys still in the ignition, the suspect manoeuvred his arms to the front, crawled over to the front seat, and driven off in the squad car. The vehicle, according to ACP Bethel was discovered a short time later. The suspect remains at large.

“We must learn from our mistakes. But they are human, just like you and me. And this goes to show that you cannot underestimate the mind of a criminal,” ACP Bethel said.