Michael DeSilva promised yesterday to quickly release the Bermuda Police Service’s policy on the use of pepper spray if a public access to information request was made.

The Commissioner of Police told The Royal Gazette: “I will ensure that any Pati application for it is expedited.”

This newspaper did submit a Pati request to the BPS yesterday seeking answers on how riot police came to be deployed at Friday’s protest outside Parliament.

We asked for the policy on Captor pepper spray use, as well as:

• records showing how and when the decision was taken to deploy a police support unit (PSU) — commonly referred to as riot police — to the grounds of Session House on Friday afternoon, and by whom the decision was taken;

• any correspondence between the BPS and any individual outside the BPS regarding the decision to deploy the PSU, prior to the decision being enacted;

• any correspondence dated December 2, 2016 between the BPS and the Speaker of the House, Randy Horton;

• records showing the number of alleged assaults of members of the public and police officers at the protest.

We asked that the records released include the police operation order which led to riot police being deployed, its accompanying signature and any accompanying police plan.

The BPS has until January 17 to reach a decision on our request, unless it seeks an extension for an additional 42 days, as is allowed under the Public Access to Information Act.

Police cracked down on protesters outside Sessions House at lunchtime on Friday after the demonstrators barred entry to the House of Assembly, where MPs were due to debate a controversial deal to redevelop the airport.

Mr DeSilva said in a statement that evening that “police initiated positive action to open a path to the House” after it was announced that the parliamentary session would take place.

He said officers warned protesters they were committing offences, before the crowd surged and some protesters assaulted the officers.

The incapacitant spray was used in a “proportionate response” to disperse the crowd, he added.

Yesterday, Mr DeSilva told this newspaper it was solely his job to “determine the use and control of the operations of the [police] service”.

He said no one outside the BPS was told of the decision to deploy riot police before the decision was enacted.

The Commissioner revealed that 26 complains of assault against officers had been made by members of the public.

He said: “Six officers received injuries. Statements of complaint from other officers regarding common assault are still being recorded and numbers are not currently finalised but [are] expected to exceed 20.”

Michael Dunkley, the Premier, has asked Government House and the Bermuda Police Service to investigate and produce a report on what happened on Friday and why, after saying he was “deeply troubled by what occurred”.

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