Calypsonian ‘IPA’ singing blues after alleged police slap

It was what he called the most humiliating experience of his life.{{more}}

A visibly upset Grantley ‘Ipa’ Constance was referring to a run in with police officers that left his ego more bruised and hurt than the right side of his face.

Speaking from the office of his lawyer Jomo Thomas on Tuesday, October 30, the 2006 calypso monarch, who seemed close to tears, told of an incident which occurred on Wednesday, October 24, at about 10 p.m., just yards away from his home in Paul’s Avenue, where he was chatting with some friends.

“We saw a vehicle driving in our direction and stopped right in front of us.”

Constance said that four men dressed in black exited the vehicle and approached him and his friends.

The men, who did not identify themselves, were recognized as police officers.

According to Constance, one officer, whom he named, proceeded to threaten the lives of two persons assembled at the bar: Dominique Ross and Mitchell Irish.

Then things took a turn for the worse for Constance:

“One approached me. He told me to get up. He told me to come, so I asked him come to go where.”

“He said ‘Get to f*** up and me off the bench and patted me down.”

The veteran calypsonian said as the officer attempted to search his pockets, he volunteered to empty his pockets for him.

This prompted the officer, who Constance identified, to instruct another officer to slap Constance. The officer obliged.

“I then asked the police man what he did that for. He told me to ‘SING ON THAT’.”

“When I asked him his name, he told me to f*** off.”

Constance, who is an employee of the Public Health Department, said that what was most disturbing about the incident is that it took place in the full view of his common-law-wife and 13-year-old son, who were in the balcony of their home.

Constance expressed that not only is he hurt emotionally, but also confused as to how to approach matters related to the constabulary in the future.

He indicated that he and other members of the Paul’s Avenue community were recently approached by Commissioner of Police Keith Miller for ways to curb the level of violence in the area, and he was commended by the police force up to eight months ago when he assisted a shooting victim by getting medical attention for the person.

“If they could vent that sort of activity on me, who else? I am the 2006 calypso monarch. My face is posted all over St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

A statement of the incident was lodged at the Public Relations Department of the Police Force on Tuesday, and up to press time the police were said to be investigating the matter.