THE EDITOR, Sir:
IN AN article in The Gleaner dated November 25, 2003 , on page A11, captioned 'Citizens Criticise Human Rights Groups', reference was made to members of the Duhaney Park Citizens Association/Police Consultative Committee, criticising the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights (ICJHR) for the Council's support for criminals and discrimination against the police.
The article goes on to say that according to Dennis Daley Q.C., vice-president of the ICJHR, 'the way the police approach crime and how they outdo the law's affect on crime'. He further stated, 'when the police kill civilians, they were often protected and shielded, which resulted in more indiscriminate shootings.'
Calculations attributed to Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) indicate that the police killed at least 31,396 persons within the last 10 years. The JFJ also states that the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) could not confirm the figure immediately. I wish to state that no request was made of the CCN regarding this matter.
The CCN, the information arm of the Constabulary Force, wishes to set the record straight for the benefit of members of the public that prior to 1995, fatal shootings, inclusive of shootings by police, soldiers, licensed firearm holders and security guards were 2,535.
Since 1995, statistics compiled by the Police Statistics Depart-ment indicated that the number of fatal shootings by the police is 1,254. Grouping all the figures together to date, fatal shootings by all legal entities is 3,789.
The CCN would therefore like to inform members of the public that the JFJ's figure of 31,396 is not only erroneous, but also alarmingly misleading. Mr. Dennis Daley, when contacted by head of CCN, Superintendent Ionie Ramsay-Nelson denied giving the figure quoted. He said that the number he gave was 1,396.
I am, etc.,
IONIE RAMSAY NELSON
Supt. of Police
Director, CCN
