ACP accepts full responsibility By David Williams, Freelance Writer ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Police Area 4, Arthur Martin, yesterday accepted full responsibility for the July 7 cordon and search operation conducted in sections of West Kingston by over 140 members of the security forces. Stressing that he received "absolutely no outside advice" from persons who were not within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) or the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) in planning the exercise, he told the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry at the Mutual Life Centre in Kingston: "I am taking full responsibility for the operation." ACP Martin, who was the highest ranking police officer directly involved in the operation's planning and execution, was at the time being cross-examined by Walter Scott, attorney for the People's National Party (PNP). Earlier, while under cross-examination from Patrick Atkinson, who is representing Desmond McKenzie, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Councillor for the Tivoli Gardens division, the ACP denied that Mr. McKenzie told him that PNP activists were seeking revenge on Tivoli and Denham Town for the killing of William 'Willie Haggart' Moore. He also told the Commission that after the killing, police did not anticipate reprisals on Tivoli. The Assistant Commissioner, who has over 30 years of experience in the JCF, denied that Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town were completely surrounded during the July 7 exercise. He said many entrances to the communities were not blocked by police and military personnel, but said he did not know if police cordons were set up at entrances located at Industrial Terrace and Spanish Town Road. "The cordon that I ordered to be set up was done outside Tivoli Gardens," he said. Questioned about television footage which showed policemen firing from the observation post at Coronation Market during the operation, ACP Martin said he recognised the guns used by the police as a 50-calibre weapon, but said he was not of the view that police were using the weapons irresponsibly by holding them with one hand while firing. "It would appear (that way) in the (television) clipping, but the circumstances at that time, one would have to take into consideration," he said. The ACP further told the Commission that sandbags used in the Coronation Market command post were taken there by JDF personnel before July 5 this year, and additional sandbags were later taken on July 8 and 9. According to ACP Martin, three separate groups of police and soldiers conducting the cordon and search were fired at by gunmen a group led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reneto Adams at the Coronation Market observation post; another group led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Williams on North Street; and a third group led by Deputy Superintendent Lee, who were searching the Golden Age Home in Denham Town. This group, he said, was forced to abort the search as a result of the gunfire. A .22 pistol was recovered during the search. He admitted that while radio transmissions from the Jamaica Defence Force's helicopter on the morning of July 7 indicated that armed men had been seen moving in the area, it was not stated that the men were seen firing at the security forces. In relation to the approximately 183 people who were detained by police over a three-day period as a result of the operation and then released without being charged, the Assistant Commissioner said he did not know if any of those detained were gunmen or were on the police wanted list. He stressed, however, that some of these persons could still be charged at a later date, when police receive the results of forensic and ballistic tests conducted in the matter.
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