Dear Editor,
How could I not be moved to highlight the good deeds of one cop, especially with so much negativity being meted out to the police by John Public.
On December 13, 2013 I was making my way from Kingston to the north coast. Upon reaching Golden Grove, I realised I had a flat tyre. It became rather scary at this point because this was approximately 2:00 am. The road was dead, no shops opened, plus the area wasn't adequately lit.
My initial instinct was to remain in the car and sleep it out until daybreak because I could have clearly been a target for unscrupulous opportunists. But that was not to be. Shortly after I pulled over and got out to look at the tyre, a police vehicle with flashing lights passed going in the same direction of my travel and disappeared around the corner. In less than five minutes, the vehicle passed me again, this time going in the opposite direction. It stopped about 100 yards up the road, turned around and drove up to me. The officer asked if I was OK. I told him I had a flat tyre. He then proceeded to help me change the tyre....in fact, he did the whole exercise himself. I was like "Am I in Jamaica?"
But it got more interesting, because after he was through, I decided to take his name and badge number. When he mentioned his name I thought it sounded familiar. I asked him if he was the investigating officer at an incident one night, some six miles down the road, in 2010, involving a car and a trailer. He vividly remembered the actual incident. I had been the driver of the car. It was just incredible that we met again under another car scenario years later.
I wish to thank and "big up" Constable Gayon Gabriel of the Claremont Police Station, badge number 10739. His duty to serve and protect citizens was extraordinarily displayed in this selfless gesture and exemplary action. More power to you, sir, and may more like you so shine their light. The Jamaica Constabulary Force, and the country at large, can only be better off for it.
Win Smith
winsvista@yahoo.com
Officer 10739 to the rescue
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How could I not be moved to highlight the good deeds of one cop, especially with so much negativity being meted out to the police by John Public.
On December 13, 2013 I was making my way from Kingston to the north coast. Upon reaching Golden Grove, I realised I had a flat tyre. It became rather scary at this point because this was approximately 2:00 am. The road was dead, no shops opened, plus the area wasn't adequately lit.
My initial instinct was to remain in the car and sleep it out until daybreak because I could have clearly been a target for unscrupulous opportunists. But that was not to be. Shortly after I pulled over and got out to look at the tyre, a police vehicle with flashing lights passed going in the same direction of my travel and disappeared around the corner. In less than five minutes, the vehicle passed me again, this time going in the opposite direction. It stopped about 100 yards up the road, turned around and drove up to me. The officer asked if I was OK. I told him I had a flat tyre. He then proceeded to help me change the tyre....in fact, he did the whole exercise himself. I was like "Am I in Jamaica?"
But it got more interesting, because after he was through, I decided to take his name and badge number. When he mentioned his name I thought it sounded familiar. I asked him if he was the investigating officer at an incident one night, some six miles down the road, in 2010, involving a car and a trailer. He vividly remembered the actual incident. I had been the driver of the car. It was just incredible that we met again under another car scenario years later.
I wish to thank and "big up" Constable Gayon Gabriel of the Claremont Police Station, badge number 10739. His duty to serve and protect citizens was extraordinarily displayed in this selfless gesture and exemplary action. More power to you, sir, and may more like you so shine their light. The Jamaica Constabulary Force, and the country at large, can only be better off for it.
Win Smith
winsvista@yahoo.com
Officer 10739 to the rescue
-->