THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WOULD LIKE to comment on the level of corruption in the Jamaica Constabulary Force. I was having a discussion with a police officer recently about the incident that took place at the Mount Salem Police Station. I was saying to the officer that the manner in which the policeman was treated was no way to deal with a situation like that.
I told the officer that what should have been done if a person comes inside a police station declaring that he is policeman and he does not have proper identification, is that they should have restrained the man, have him tell them his name, badge number and the station he belongs to, and they should have called the station to which he says he belongs to find out if he is a real policeman.
To my surprise, the officer told me that the man deserves what he got and if he was there, he would have done the same and "put lick pan him". It really shocked me. I became so cold and frightened to know that it was one of his own colleagues he was talking about like that.
I don't know if I can ever trust a policeman again after that conversation. To the family of that policeman, I say sorry for your loss, but what happened is just an example of how they treat us Jamaicans on a whole.
I am, etc.,
LEEVAN SMITH
Above Rocks P.O.
St. Catherine
Via Go-Jamaica
