Police searching for persons involved in brawl with cops in Negril

By Kimone Witter    

 

The police in Westmoreland are searching for people who were involved in a scuffle on Sunday with police officers in Whitehall, Negril.

 

Seven people have already been charged in relation to the incident, which was captured on video and subsequently went viral. 

 

The video showed a group of officers attempting to arrest a man and being met with resistance from residents who attempted to prevent the police from carrying out their duties.

 

The incident happened sometime after 6 o'clock Sunday morning when the police went to the Whitehall community after receiving a complaint about noise from a party.

 

The police say the main antagonist, Andre Brown of Old Hope, Little London, has been hit with nine charges, including four counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, unlawful wounding, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, and use of abusive and calumnious language.

 

More charges are expected to be proffered against Mr. Brown.

 

The other six people have been similarly charged.

 

Senior Superintendent Wayne Josephs, head of the Westmoreland Police, said the practice of citizens intervening in lawful arrests is dangerous. 

 

"Persons might think that it is fashionable to do so but they don't realise how detrimental it can be to them, in terms of sooner or later you might want to apply for some job locally or abroad and you need a police record. It will affect your record, so it is not a good thing for you to be obstructing the police in carrying out their lawful duty. And not only just obstructing, but attacking the police, and this cannot be allowed to continue, so we have to send a very clear message," he warned.   

 

SSP Josephs also encouraged members of the public to continue recording their engagements with the police, noting that this usually helps in identifying suspects.