Franklyn Town residents cry police brutality

By Nakinskie Robinson 

 

Residents of Franklyn Town in Kingston say they are growing fearful and frustrated with what they describe as unwarranted police brutality and harassment.

 

They say there have been a number of recent killings in the community following confrontations with the security forces.

 

In the latest incident, residents say a man was killed Thursday on Somerset Avenue following an alleged confrontation with the authorities.

 

Another man was killed in a fatal police shooting in the community last week.

 

But the residents maintain that the men were innocent and that the Top Road section of the community has been targeted by police for some time.

 

They have since blocked roads in the vicinity in an effort to limit police movement and air their grievances.

 

Speaking with Radio Jamaica News, one resident claimed that the police had also previously made death threats against men in the community.

 

"Dem come and dem mek a talk from last week Wednesday seh dem want two more man from up yah. Everytime dem come, dem pass through today and dem mek di talk and seh...dem affi kill somebody from Top Road," she alleged, adding: "Weh Top Road man do dem? Nuh wanted man at all nuh deh up yah". 

 

Radio Jamaica News contacted head of the Kingston Eastern Police division Superintendent Tomilee Chambers, who said she was only aware of a brawl between residents and the police in the community last week.

 

She said she has no reports of police brutality and the alleged killing of a man by police in the area on Thursday.