Outta Control Police
A commissioner of police – Hardley Lewin has been apologising for the actions of his fellow officers who shot at a car and injured a 10 month old baby, 4 ordinary people and another police officer.
The Gleaner reports that the car looked the same as one used in a robbery. It was stopped by police. The police say they saw something “suspicious” inside and, despite the fact the car had stopped when asked, they opened fire.
It’s not the first time that this kind of thing has happened. In March 2008, an 11 month old baby was killed as a police officer was shooting at a car driving down March Pen Road in Spanish Town.
An inquiry has been ordered into this shooting by the Bureau of Special Investigations. It is well documented (see this article by Amnesty International for more info on this) that officers in Jamaica very rarely get prosecuted for people killed (let alone injured) in the line of duty.
1 comment so far
Leave a reply
A considerable number of the members of the Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF) are indeed trigger happy.They will shoot for any and everything.Even when their lives are not in any imminent danger or threat. Having a gun or a weapon makes the police feel powerful, and they do not know how to manage or control that power, with respect to the citizens of the island.They are just ruthless,unprincipled and roguish in their conduct with violence as their modus operandi.