Dear Editor,
The Jamaica Observer of 17th February 2014 carried an article titled ‘Senior cop urges colleagues to change the way they operate’. Superintendent Fitz Bailey, bishop of the Bible Truth Church of God, is reported as the senior cop and is to be commended and bestowed with high national honours.
Not only as a senior citizen, but as a former member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, I join with the honourable gentleman and call upon all gazetted ranks in the force, as well as the police union, to join in the call led by the church.
I do not know what is being taught at the police training school today, but I suspect it is the same as I was taught; that a policeman is a civilian vested with brief authority to serve the public. A policeman must be seen as a friend and servant of the public and not as the enemy and the force an invading one.
In the context of the foregoing, I strongly recommend that constitutional laws with special reference to civil liberties be, for starters, a compulsory course for graduation and the subject of regular lectures.
Owen S Crosbie Mandeville, Manchester oss@cwjamaica.com
The Jamaica Observer of 17th February 2014 carried an article titled ‘Senior cop urges colleagues to change the way they operate’. Superintendent Fitz Bailey, bishop of the Bible Truth Church of God, is reported as the senior cop and is to be commended and bestowed with high national honours.
Not only as a senior citizen, but as a former member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, I join with the honourable gentleman and call upon all gazetted ranks in the force, as well as the police union, to join in the call led by the church.
I do not know what is being taught at the police training school today, but I suspect it is the same as I was taught; that a policeman is a civilian vested with brief authority to serve the public. A policeman must be seen as a friend and servant of the public and not as the enemy and the force an invading one.
In the context of the foregoing, I strongly recommend that constitutional laws with special reference to civil liberties be, for starters, a compulsory course for graduation and the subject of regular lectures.
Owen S Crosbie Mandeville, Manchester oss@cwjamaica.com