THE EDITOR, Sir:NOTWITHSTANDING THAT I live by the Grace of God, which is filtered down through my many relationships, both professional and personal, I can't seem to help feeling a sense of relief each time that I hear that a criminal has been taken out of action. To the extent that the Police are instrumental in such instances I am most grateful.
Along with my abundant appreciation for the Force comes my concern for their image in what seems to be a routine activity of industrial action. I am not against the idea of their getting what they are asking for. I'm just uncomfortable with their approach.
While I'm aware that individual circumstances may not make it ideal to leave an unprofitable profession, I feel it comes with more taste to seek a more worthwhile occupation than to reduce oneself to the indignity of the various kinds of industrial actions. I find this approach to resolving wage disputes frankly counter-productive.
It seems to me that if I want to be paid what I'm worth then I ought to SHOW, what I'm worth. Sitting on my posterior hardly achieves that objective. May I suggest what I think the laying down of arms by the Police amounts to?
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN
Here's John Brown, a successful businessman in a rapidly developing town, or do we want to place him downtown Kingston, you choose.
Here also is John Doe, an opportunistic social parasite. Doe approaches Brown with a proposal that if he wants to stay in business, yeah stay alive and avoid being plundered, then he has to pay for this kind of assurance. Doe, mind you, is operating outside of the law, but is certain that he can maintain due order.
And indeed he can, because all he has to do is restrain himself. If Brown cooperates and pays, then Doe will not rob and kill him. If though, Brown decides not to take up Doe's offer, he does so with obvious risks. I think this is what they call extortion. EXTORTION!!
CORE FUNCTIONS
Now let's make the connection. Among the core functions of the Police is the role of protecting life and property. The effect of leaving their duty posts is that the life and property they are sworn to protect are now at unadulterated risk of being compromised. So the statement is, give me what I want or ....
But wouldn't that statement be made if one were to leave one job for another? Yes, but one would expect that under normal circumstances due notice would have been given to allow for a timely replacement of the one intending to leave. This basic courtesy, and ability to maintain damage control would be lost in a strike action.
The way I see it, the game of extortion is played out in such approaches to wage disputes. And there is a certain twist as it relates to the Police. They not only appear to extort, but their action will make things more favourable to the above hypothetic situation becoming a horrifying reality in places where it might not have happened. I'm no expert in law, but wouldn't this be accessory to....?
Mind you, with the billion-dollar, shall we say "corruption industry", the NSWMA being the latest to come to the fore, it is clear that money is available to give our police force a better deal. And why not? Sure there are corrupt cops, but I'm sure there are equally clean cops.
And judging from what I have learned about police work from policemen I know personally, and from what is reported in the news media on a daily basis, police work is not easy - they should be well paid. We can never justify a corrupt cop, but who knows, maybe if our policemen and women were better paid there'd be a reduced incidence of corruption within the force.
I am, etc.,
CHARLES EVANS
Charock01@yahoo.com,
cevans@ncu.edu.jm
Manchester
