By Erica James-King, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE POLICE need to go out on a limb to repair the breach of trust between themselves and citizens, if those security personnel are serious about clearing the hurdles to effective crime fighting measures.
This challenge comes from Rev. Karl Johnson, General Secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU), who is warning the police that unless they bridge the confidence gap between themselves and the public, they will be fighting a losing battle.
Reminding the police to wear their cloak of authority with respect for others, the JBU official recommended that the police stay away from brutal and unjust practices, if they are to win back the trust of the people. "You do not have to be inhuman to be strong. You do not have to be barbaric to be a defender and a protector," Rev. Johnson remarked, while addressing Sunday's launch of St. James Police Courtesy Week, at Burchell Baptist Church in Montego Bay.
Pointing out that "there is a serious trust problem in this country," the JBU official says it would not be easy to mend the breach of confidence, but it is a necessary path to take.
Rev. Johnson continued, "People don't trust pastors, they say we are 'ginals'. People don't trust police, they say you are gunmen. That's occupational hazard, but you have to treat them (members of the public) different from how they treat us."
SELECTION OF FRIENDS
The clergyman is also batting for the police and non-members of the force to be cautious in their selection of friends and close associates, as carelessness on this matter could bring them into disrepute. He suggested that while it was necessary for the police to interface with the public in a humane way, the lawmen should shun familiarity with wrongdoers.
"Be discriminating in the company we keep," the JBU General Secretary urged policemen. "Sometimes someone draws near to you as a friend - watch it. And they are putting a little argument to you in your interest they say - watch it. Be careful of the company you keep."
Citing Psalms Chapter 1 as his reference point, the cleric noted that even though we are living in an age of consensus building persons, especially Christians, should not compromise good values or participate in consensus building on wrong values. "There are some things we need no consensus (on), even if it makes us unpopular... even if it marginalises us, there are some things we cannot back track on for they are important to our identity, they are crucial to who we are in Jesus Christ."
His comments come amidst public outcry about corruption in the police force. There have also been frequent demonstrations islandwide over alleged controversial killings by the police.
Meanwhile, the Police Community Relations Branch is confident that attitudes exhibited by lawmen in the parish are changing for better.
Also addressing the launch of Police Courtesy Week in St. James, which runs from June 29 to July 5, Sergeant Robert Wright of the Police Community Relations Branch noted that the police have begun to win over the hearts of the people in the parish and consequently make a dent in criminal activities.
Sergeant Wright noted that success was being reaped by the St. James Police through its proactive approach that entailed "credible delivery of quality service, rather than being reactive via the old time policing."
