Violating citizens' rights
published: Monday | April 11, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE ARBITRARY arrest and detention of the citizens of Spanish Town, for the purpose of sifting out criminals, is unlawful and a violation of constitutional rights.

The security forces have the arduous task of enforcing the laws and bringing criminals to justice and, in doing so, they must conduct themselves within the constraints of the law if the rights and liberties of the innocent are to be protected.

It is a flawed strategy in policing if they are going to go in search of criminals in the communities of Spanish Town and to serve notice of their coming five days before they impose a curfew. The only people who will not leave the area are the law-abiding and the innocent and they are ones who get taken to jail.

It's about time the police awaken to the fact that 70 per cent of effective policing is intelligence and until they do, the rights and freedoms of the law-abiding are not assured.

I am, etc.,

CARLTON BROWN

cebrown300@hotmail.com

Bronx, NY

Via Go-Jamaica