Police Commissioner Francis Forbes (right), in discussion yesterday with St. Aubyn Bartlett, MP for St. Andrew Eastern, and Deputy Commissioner Tilford Johnson. The occasion was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding at the Haven-of-Hope Church, August Town, St. Andrew.
-Norman Grindley photoGlenroy Sinclair
, Staff Reporter
SUPERVISORS IN the Police Force are to be held responsible if they know or should have known that personnel under their command have used force in an unlawful way and did not take all measures in their power to prevent, suppress or report such use.
"Police officers must identify themselves and give a clear warning that they intend to use their firearms. They must allow sufficient time for the warning to be observed unless to do so would be inappropriate, pointless or would endanger themselves or members of the public," Police Commissioner Francis Forbes said.
He was speaking at the public launch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's new Human Rights and Use-of-Force and Firearms Policy and Anti-Corruption Strategy, at the Haven of Hope Church, August Town, St. Andrew.
MOU SIGNING
Also, there was the signing of a Memorandum of Under
standing (MOU) between the Police High Command of the JCF and its auxiliaries.
"This new policy is in effect as of today," said Commissioner Forbes.
He said the Human Rights and Use-of-Force and Firearms Policy and Anti-Corruption Policy Strategy were the planks on which he intended to build the Police Force.
"The launch of these two documents and the signing of the MOU come one year after the launch of the New Anti-Crime Plan. Our resolve was to reduce crime and violence in Jamaica. We achieved modest successes. There is a reduction in all major crimes except rapes and sexual offences," said Commissioner Forbes.
Pointing to the new policy, he said the public needed to know what factors should be taken into consideration if a police officer uses force, what are the rights of the public under such circumstances, what action is taken when an officer uses his/her firearm, and who will be held responsible.
CONSIDERATIONS
Before using force, the Commissioner said, the police should consider the conduct of the individuals they are confronting, their ages, sizes, relative strengths and skill levels. The injury/exhaustion of the officer and individuals being confronted, must be considered as well as and the number of officers relative to the number of individuals involved.
They must also consider the influence of drugs/alcohol or the mental capacity of the individual(s) being confronted, proximity of weapons, the seriousness of the suspected offence or reason for contact with the individual(s), among other factors.
