By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterTHIRTEEN MEMBERS of the police force have been ordered charged for various crimes over the last 12 weeks following rulings handed down by Kent Pantry, Q.C., the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The latest came this week when the DPP ruled that six policemen should be charged for their roles in the March 2001 killing of seven young men in Braeton, St. Catherine.
Yesterday's five and the six policemen ordered charged for their role in the Braeton killings met with a legal team and the executive of the Police Federation.
FEDERATION OFFERING LEGAL TEAM
They were briefed about the level of support the Federation would be offering with a legal team headed by attorneys-at-law Carolyn Reid and Valerie Neita-Robertson.
"We understand that persons are now rejoicing in the name of justice and they are doing this to demoralise the police force. But we are going to stand behind our members and give them that moral support," said Sergeant David White, Chairman of the Federation.
Apart from assisting with the legal expenses, the Federation chairman said that his organisation will be arranging special counselling sessions for the accused policemen. He said too, that "we will be also be meeting again with the Police High Command to express the concerns of the men and the assistance needed."
Head of the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI), Acting Assisting Commissioner Granville Gause, who has been instructed by Deputy Commisioner Lucius Thomas to carry out the instructions of the DPP, was kept busy yesterday completing the paper work before the six men are formally charged.
Reports are that the policemen may not be arrested until next week when DCP Thomas returns to the island from an overseas assignment. The officer left the island yesterday evening to attend a crime conference in the United States.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Gause yesterday confirmed that at least 13 members of the police force had been ruled to be charged criminally by the DPP over the past 12 weeks.
TWO APPEARED BEFORE THE COURTS
Between last Wednes-day and Tuesday, nine of these police personnel were charged, two have already appeared before the courts and have been remanded in custody.
Superintendent George Quallo of the Manches-ter Police Division confirmed yesterday that one of the men under his command, Constable Weston Gregory, was charged with murder.
His charge arose out of a domestic dispute last Friday in Kendal district which resulted in a man being chopped and killed. "Constable Gregory was remanded in custody Wednesday and is to return to court Thursday," Supt. Quallo said.
Acting ACP Gause said on Tuesday, Montego Bay's most popular policeman, Clive Lawrence, better known as "Karate Georgie", was charged with shooting with intent following an incident in 2001 at the Savanna-la-Mar Primary School, Westmoreland.
