Police cadet school admits sexual harassment

The Royal Police Cadet Academy (RPCA) has confirmed a media report that a first-year police cadet was sexually harassed by an instructor and the instructor’s friend.
Pol Maj Gen Sakrapee Priewpanich, deputy commissioner of the academy in Nakhon Pathom, said the school had looked into the scandal first reported on social media and found the report to be true.
He said he had assigned Pol Maj Gen Jirachart Charoensri, chief of the Cadet Command Division, to summon both sides for questioning and take appropriate action.
Pol Maj Gen Sakrapee said the case involves sexual indecency and since the cadet has reached legal age and has the option to file a criminal complaint, the victim is consulting his parents about what action to take.
He gave his assurance the academy would not sweep the scandal under the carpet. He said the issue would be addressed in a straightforward matter, as failing to do so would undermine its reputation.
A committee will be set up to investigate the issue in-depth and determine if the instructor should be suspended from duty or removed from his post entirely, said Pol Maj Gen Sakrapee.
The academy’s response follows a post by a popular Facebook page called “Bigkren”, which urged national police chief Kittharath Punpetch to look into an alleged sexual harassment scandal.
One of the academy’s instructors and his police friend had acted inappropriately towards a cadet, the post said, and used their senior status to pressure him to do their bidding against his will.
On the night of Nov 16, the instructor and his friend reportedly waited for the cadet around the bleachers and forced him to drink alcohol.
The pair then approached the cadet and tried to help him perform an act of masturbation.
The cadet reported the incident to his supervisor as an act of sexual harassment.
The instructor had allegedly engaged in other forms of misconduct with cadets several times, and even though the matter was reported to commanding officers, it was not handled appropriately, according to the post on the “Bigkren” account. This was alarming cadets’ families, it added.
It said evidence has been gathered against the harassers and witnesses were being asked to step forward.
Pol Gen Kittharath on Wednesday ordered an investigation into the allegations. He said any wrongdoer would face strict disciplinary action and potential misconduct penalties. He also advised the affected cadet to file an official complaint.
There were reports that the lecturer was a police major who taught English and law at the academy in Samphran district of Nakhon Pathom.