Some police officers reportedly withdraw from court duties after incident involving colleague

 

There are reports of growing unrest among police officers who provide support services to Jamaica's courts.

 

Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force are upset after a judge ordered the arrest of a policeman, in his uniform, when he failed to appear in the St. Elizabeth Parish Court on Thursday.

 

Radio Jamaica News has been informed that court services at Portland Parish Court have been affected due to the withdrawal of police officers on Friday. 

 

Some officers assigned to courts operating in the Santa Cruz Civil Court have called in sick.

 

However, services at the courts are not being adversely affected.

 

Corporal Rohan James, Chairman of the Police Federation, said while he could not confirm that police officers had stopped working, the reports were not a surprise considering rank and file members feel hurt by "the abuse that has been driven from the bench by the judge that is expected to uphold the highest level of decorum and respect for every citizen".

 

Corporal James said the Federation will be seeking audience with the authorities to have the matter addressed.

 

"If it means that we should go even to the Privy Council to get redress for our members, we have to be doing it. We are not going to sit back and allow the court to be abusive to us when we are officers of the court," he insisted. 

 

Corporal James said a report is being prepared regarding Thursday's incident and it will be sent to the Minister of National Security, Minister of Justice, the Commissioner of Police and the Chief Justice.