This is about the thrust of an argument made by a caller to the midday program on PJD-2, of Mr. Lloyd RICHARDSON.
What more beautiful slogan for the police-force !
Nevertheless, the poor most popular talk-show host really got a ‘beating' from most of his callers, for him being hard on the way police has been conducting traffic controls in recent weeks.
Although, I myself and ‘Mr. Popular" certainly are not chummy, chummy friends to say the least, I understood where he was coming from and admired him defending what he believed in.
I did not hear Mr. RICHARDSON necessarily disagreeing with the need for a strong and intense police-presence and operation.
His position was, that there should be a better way than has been the case too often in recent times, when drivers had been stopped by police-officers.
From what I understood, Mr. RICHARDSON, made a strong case where the police-officers, if necessary use of force, but that such should be done with respect and intelligence and not simply by using brute and blind force, when such is totally un-called for.
In that regards, I happen to agree with Mr. RICHARDSON.
However, having stated that, it is clear that the situation presently is very difficult and un-clear for many law-abiding citizens, in terms of being sure HOW to deal with the police when stopped.
At the same time, there is a lot of pressure on the police-force as well in trying to protect the island and trying to send out a strong signal to the many criminal elements on the island.
In other words, no-one disagrees with the need for very strong police actions to ‘clean up' the island; the question is how best and most effective to get the job done.
I would like to believe that intelligence would help and not hurt in searching for the best ‘modus operandi' .
Therefore, I think that it is HIGH time for some-one in authority to bring clarity in this matter.
Some-one who can go on all radio- and television programs and explain the public in detail, what the objectives are of certain actions of the police and very importantly EXPLAIN the public exactly how they should respond to the police when stopped and questioned.
At the same time, such person in authority should also educate and inform police-officers, that we do not live in a police-state, and that many people are conscious well-educated people they can not simply ‘bark at' and threaten, because they ask questions.
That in fact people can tape or even video-tape them (without their knowledge) and have these reports aired (online), which can not only seriously undermine police authority, but can lead to people taking very serious legal actions against, cops gone mad.
In other words, it is time that both the public and police-officers as well are instructed of how to deal with each other, in a way that is productive.
Perhaps, the police can publish in the daily papers ‘manual' for the public to know how to respond to the police and what their rights are as well, such as where to complain.
I can be wrong, but I suggest the best person to come forward to educate the people on how best to respond to being stopped by police and who can also educate the police-officers how to be very professional, without being a ‘sissy' is the Chief-Commissioner of the island.
It is time, for real leadership on all levels, if we want anyone to take our ‘quest' for country-status' serious.
I also, wonder, why the police-officers on the island, never found it fit that every officer carries a badge with his or her name on it, so that the public also know who it is dealing with and if necessary in the future refer to that officer, not only to file complain, but also to commend !
Please let us get more professional.
Mr. Commissioner of Police, will you stand up and create a ‘police- public-partnership' in order to clean up the ‘Friendly island' and prevent ‘police-public-antagonism'.
Leopold JAMES