THE EDITOR, Sir:ON FRIDAY, January 31, 2003 I had the opportunity to tune in to MSNBC just in time to watch a most exciting event unfolding live in the Miami Dade County.
At 11:15 a.m. two robbers were carrying out their planned activities to rob. They were spotted by the police and fired on. One was caught while the other boarded a Federal Mail truck, held the mail worker, who happened to be a woman hostage and that marked the beginning of a driving chase with the police.
What was spectacular in all of this, the chase ended about 3:15 p.m. with over thirty police vehicles giving chase and not a shot was fired by the police despite the fact that they overtook the mail truck several times and they knew that the offender was armed and dangerous. The chase was eventually stopped when the police used a device to puncture the mail truck.
When the chase ended the police, with over 100 vehicles in addition to emergency vehicles surrounded the mail truck, still no shot was fired. A professional negotiator was brought on the scene to negotiate with the hostage taker. This lasted well over an hour at the end of which the mail worker was set free unhurt. The hostage taker still refused to come out but the police remained calm and patiently waited while the negotiator continued to plead with the wrongdoer. who eventually surrendered without a shot being fired.
As I sat watching the entire event I kept thinking what would have happened in a Jamaican situation. Then my answer came on the 7:00 p.m. TVJ newscast. According to the newscast a taxi driver, who it was alleged, disobeyed the police signal to stop was chased and shot to death allegedly by the police. This was followed by a protest demonstration by citizens. Then there was another newscast within the 24 hours of the police shooting indiscriminately at a taxi (with passengers), which fit the description of a car which was involved in criminal activities earlier. According to the newscast the police admitted to their error and apologised.
These events bring to the fore concerns that are expressed frequently about the type of training that our police receive. It appears that more emphasis is placed on being trained to be combatants instead of protecting and preserving the peace.
Our police must be trained as negotiators and within the force there must be specialist negotiators. This type of training would enable them to negotiate with wrong doers to surrender instead of shooting them on sight.
The strategy of Community Policing is a good thing but must be supported by intensive training of the members of the force at all levels with the focus on less shooting and more negotiations. Community Policing should not only give the appearance of a show being put on for the television but must be built on the foundation of a genuine wish for human rehabilitation.
I am, etc.,
JAMES McLAUGHLIN
Greenvale
Shooters Hill P.O.
Manchester
