Little India riot inquiry: Tear gas clearance protocol questioned

Tear gas was not used and the Committee of Inquiry (COI) took issue with the fact that the ground commander required permission before he could use it.

On Tuesday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Lu Yeow Lim said in his conditional statement that he had to "clear the use of tear gas on the rioters" with Deputy Commissioner of Police T. Raja Kumar, who was the Acting Commissioner of Police at the time of the riot.

He said that under the current protocol, clearance is required from the director of operations or higher.

But former police commissioner Tee Tua Ba said the decision should be made by the specialist on the ground.

He said: "Who is in best position? The director of operations who is not there?"

Police officers have to make split-second decisions, he added. DAC Koh Wei Keong, deputy director of operations, said the police would look into it.

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