By Dennie Quill, ContributorALL THIS focus on the police has served to jog my memory a bit. Many decades ago the Half-Way Tree RM Court was the stage of a very interesting drama.
The case of a labour union big shot being charged with demanding money by menace got many column inches in this newspaper.
The case arose when a well-known city merchant reported to the police that he had been threatened to give up some half a million dollars. The designated drop-off point for the money was the then Courtleigh Manor Hotel on Trafalgar Road, New Kingston.
Detectives working the case gathered at the hotel that evening posing as patrons and each time someone went to the restroom, one of them would follow. As per instructions the money had been placed in a BOAC bag and deposited in one of the stalls.
As the night wore on the union leader made three trips to the bathroom. He soon became suspect number one. It was not long before he was seen with the bag.
When challenged he said he had found the bag in the stall and he was taking it to the front desk.
But the police were not only relying on the Courtleigh Manor events to build their case. Collectively the investigators had done some superb work, including handwriting analysis.
PRELIMINARY ENQUIRY
The depositions given at the preliminary enquiry into the charge were shattering. The accused man was on bail and after listening to the damning evidence he left court one afternoon and was never seen again.
Those were pre-cellphone and armoured car days. I know those policemen and policewomen were not as well paid as their 21st century colleagues. But they were true professionals.
Dr Peter Phillips, the National Security Ministry, has a hard row to hoe. In his address to the nation he promised to examine the strength of the Jamaica Constabulary Force to see whether it was adequate. Not only should Dr. Phillips look at quantity, the research should also find out about quality.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist.
