The Editor, Sir:

IN THE Gleaner of Thursday, October 30 (Page 2), I observed the picture of a very frustrated, distraught police officer, as he sat in a vehicle at a scene where one of his colleagues was slain. I could not help thinking of what I would be thinking and maybe done, had I found myself in his position.

So very often, the public comes out very hard against law officers when something happens the way they did not want it to.

I wonder, have people ever stopped to think of what an honest-minded, dedicated law officer endures on a daily basis in today's Jamaica? I don't think so.

The level of training that police officers can receive in six months seems, to me, to be woefully inadequate to deal effectively with the kinds of atrocities now being perpetrated.

I say this against the background of noticing how intolerant and aggressive many of these young officers are when on duty. They not only seem to know what could happen, but seem to eagerly anticipate the worst, thus their immediate defensive reaction. They will ask for papers and while the driver seeks to find and hand them over, the officer will raise his weapon.

Stopped in spot check

Recently, I was stopped in a spot check on a pretty lonely road. On seeing two young female officers pointing long guns, one to the road, the other towards the skies, I quickly indicated and pulled over to the left bank, a wee bit past the officer who had stopped me.

As he stepped towards me, I opened the driver's door and placed my hands on the steering wheel. After a brief, polite greeting, he reprimanded me for having driven past him. I explained that I was afraid of pointed guns.

He informed me that my action was incorrect and could create suspicion so, in future, I should stop immediately. I then understood his point, but my point is that if an officer is pointing a gun to "shoot up the skies", I won't stop immediately in front of that officer.

I am, etc.,

ROSE DEWAR

ridewar@hotmail.com