INDECOM urges security forces to assess their reliance on lethal force

 

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says the security forces should seek to determine if there is an over reliance on lethal force in the execution of their duties.

 

INDECOM Commissioner Hugh Faulkner says this is among several questions which need to be answered following the increase in police fatal shootings since January.

 

Mr. Faulker on Monday disclosed that there have been 19 such shootings so far in October.

 

The INDECOM commissioner, who was speaking on the Morning Agenda on Power 106, noted that the figure is already higher than the previous months, even though October has not yet ended. 

 

Giving a snippet of some of the previous months' figures, Mr. Faulkner said there were eight fatalities in January and 13 in February. April had nine such incidents, while July and August both had 15. There were 13 fatal shootings in September.

 

According to Mr. Faulkner, the security forces should decide if refresher training on public interactions is needed.

 

He suggested that there are those who believe that because of the high incidence of gun crimes in the country, "the law enforcement bodies should be judge, jury and executioner" or act with impunity. 

 

But he insisted that despite the Jamaica's violent environment, every attempt should be made to use non-lethal tactics to de-escalate a situation. 

 

The most recent case of a police fatal shooting occurred on Sunday when a wanted man, Tuwaine Morrison, was killed during a tussle with police in St. Elizabeth.

 

 

 

The Jamaicans for Justice group has also weighed in on the discussion, with Executive Director Mickel Jackson saying, while human rights advocacy groups call for the security forces to be mindful in their engagements with the public, the reverse is also necessary. 

 

Ms Jackson said JFJ stands with INDECOM as well as the Jamaica Constabulary Force. 

 

She urged citizens not to resist arrest and to "be respectful" in their interactions with law enforcement. 

 

"It’s a matter of saying we want the police to be safe. We also want you to be safe. We make the call that we would want witnesses to come forward and as we make those calls we are also imploring the government to ensure that if witnesses do come forward they are so protected. So we have to have balance all the way around as we deal with these situations in the country," she said.