By Adrian Frater, News EditorWESTERN BUREAU:
FOLLOWING IN the wake of a recent incident in which a policeman was shot and killed outside a nightclub, in Montego Bay, St. James, Police Commissioner Francis Forbes has issued a stern warning to western Jamaica-based police personnel to be careful where they go to socialise.
"I am concerned about the death of a member here in St. James because based on what I have heard, he should have been a little bit more alert," said Forbes, as he addressed police personnel from Area One, in Montego Bay, last week. "His own colleagues had even advised him to be a little more alert."
The policeman in question is Detective Constable Leviene Garnett, who was shot dead by a gunman outside the Las Vegas Night Club, in the western city last month. The lawman, who had his service pistol taken by his killer, was a veteran with 14-years service to the Force.
In referring to the incidents in which policemen have been killed in St. James, Commis-sioner Forbes said most of the incidents did not happen in situations where they were challenging gunmen. He noted that, "Based on the general statistics, it would appear that policemen are safer while they are on duty."
BAD PEOPLE
Commissioner Forbes also had a word of warning for the Trelawny police, noting that the parish was showing up on the radar screen as, "a place that is being visited quite frequently by some very bad people... some very dangerous criminals."
"Who would believe that the market (Falmouth) would be a place where a policeman would be at risk," said Forbes, in reference to an incident in which a policeman was murdered in Falmouth last year. "Times have changed and it is important to realise that while you are trying to protect members of the society, your first responsibility is to protect yourself."
