Dear Editor,
There is a situation that must be brought to the attention of the public and also the media.
A man of unsound mind has taken up residence on Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston.
I was told that he came to the area between October and November last year. He has threatened to chop people to pieces with his machete, and I have seen him run at persons with stones, threatening to kill.
The police had to take a knife from him in December as he stood over a man in a very menacing way. Last Thursday, he chased me, for what reason I do not know. I went to two police officers who are assigned to the New Kingston Police Post and I was told that they are not trained to deal with people of unsound mind, they have tried to remove him and failed, they have called the relevant authorities and they have not turned up, and they are afraid of the man.
Now, if the police, who are there to protect and serve, are afraid, what do they expect citizens of this country to do?
I also called 119 police control and they told me they cannot do anything about a man of unsound mind.
A security guard in the area also told me that they are afraid of him too.
Why is it that in Jamaica we wait until someone gets hurt or someone is killed before action is taken? The police need to ensure that the relevant persons come and remove him immediately. A man like that should not be of nuisance to people going about their business, and I believe until it is brought out in the media, and the police and others look bad, the situation will not change.
Leighton Campbell
leightonbanton@yahoo.com
Please remove this man from the streets
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There is a situation that must be brought to the attention of the public and also the media.
A man of unsound mind has taken up residence on Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston.
I was told that he came to the area between October and November last year. He has threatened to chop people to pieces with his machete, and I have seen him run at persons with stones, threatening to kill.
The police had to take a knife from him in December as he stood over a man in a very menacing way. Last Thursday, he chased me, for what reason I do not know. I went to two police officers who are assigned to the New Kingston Police Post and I was told that they are not trained to deal with people of unsound mind, they have tried to remove him and failed, they have called the relevant authorities and they have not turned up, and they are afraid of the man.
Now, if the police, who are there to protect and serve, are afraid, what do they expect citizens of this country to do?
I also called 119 police control and they told me they cannot do anything about a man of unsound mind.
A security guard in the area also told me that they are afraid of him too.
Why is it that in Jamaica we wait until someone gets hurt or someone is killed before action is taken? The police need to ensure that the relevant persons come and remove him immediately. A man like that should not be of nuisance to people going about their business, and I believe until it is brought out in the media, and the police and others look bad, the situation will not change.
Leighton Campbell
leightonbanton@yahoo.com
Please remove this man from the streets
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