Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterHEAD OF the Kingston Eastern Police Division, Superintendent Artice Brown-Getton, along with head of the Constabulary Communication Network Superintendent James Forbes and the top brass of the Police Federation had to intervene on Thursday to prevent another mass protest by irate residents of Bull Bay, St. Andrew.
The citizens said that they are continuing a protest against the directive from Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Kent Pantry, that three policemen must be charged with the August 1999 fatal shooting of Noel Barnes, who was then on the police's most wanted list.
"We are questioning the operation of the DPP's office. The system is cock-eyed," said Norman Lamont of the 10-Miles Citizen Association in Bull Bay.
Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, the residents said that on the night when Barnes was killed, there was great jubilation.
"It was like a grand party out here. Many women who ran away returned home that night. Barnes was on the police most wanted list, so we want to know why the DPP rule that the police be charged when he was killed in a shoot-out," asked Monica Campbell, treasurer of 10-Miles Citizens Association.
Supt. Forbes explained that all shootings involving police and licensed firearm holders are investigated and the DPP asked to make a ruling.
Another resident, Veronica Grant, claimed that it was not the police alone who killed Barnes.
"The citizens help kill him too. When he got shot, some people stabbed him, others threw stone and spat on him. So if they are going to charge the police, they must charge the citizens too," said Miss Grant.
She was among scores of residents who crammed the compound of the Bull Bay Police Station Thursday morning at a meeting with senior officers and executive members of the Police Federation.
Chairman of the Police Federation, Sergeant Steve Brown, assured the residents that the federation has already hired a team of lawyers to represent the policemen who are expected to be charged early next month.
