INDECOM Commissioner Terrence Williams - file photo
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INDECOM Commissioner Terrence Williams and Assistant Commissioner Hamish Campbell
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) wants the Jamaica Constabulary Force to implement strict standards to govern the use of non-lethal weapons such as pepper spray.
INDECOM Commissioner Terrence Williams said non-lethal weapons can sometimes cause great discomfort and pain.
He said the police should be governed by strict standards to ensure the proper use of these devices.
"International standards for the use of incapacitant sprays, pepper sprays, dictate that these sprays, or otherwise called chemical irritants, should never be used for purely passive resistance but must be used to incapacitate a violent assailant or to help to effect a lawful arrest where a suspect is violently resisting. The pepper spray and the baton ought not to be used for punishment for someone who is merely passively disobedient," he explained, adding that there should be a more efficient system to monitor the use of the devices.
Mr. Williams made the call at INDECOM's quarterly media briefing Thursday morning.
INDECOM said its study into the use of non-lethal weapons by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force has shown inappropriate use of pepper spray and batons.
The study was conducted between January 2016 and October last year.
Mr. Williams said pepper spray was used inappropriately in 36 per cent of cases identified.
Batons were also used unnecessarily in 38 per cent of the cases.
Mr. Williams is recommending that more emphasis be placed on defensive tactics for police officers, such as de-escalation.
He suggested that there may be need for greater psychological evaluation of police officers because in the cases identified, officers used pepper sprays and batons in reacting to verbal provocation.
"The officers should learn to not respond to verbal provocation by use of physical force; and although the physical force is not ordinarily deadly, it still causes discomfort and pain to the individual," he asserted.
"Parro" Campbell incident
INDECOM has said it will make a decision shortly regarding its probe into last week's incident in which retired cop Altemorth "Parro" Campbell was pepper sprayed by a constable.
The incident occurred during a traffic stop on Molynes Road in St. Andrew.
Hamish Campbell, Assistant Commissioner of INDECOM, said statements have been collected from the retired officer, his son as well as the two traffic cops involved in the incident.
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