By Linton P. Gordon
A number of citizens including business people have approached me and discussed with me the article I wrote recently about “The Big Fraid”.
They raised a number of matters regarding crime and violence in their communities and the challenges that they and the police face daily. The impression I formed is that most citizens believe the police are doing their best, given the limited resources they have.
Several citizens in St. Ann have expressed their view that the current head of police for the parish, senior superintendent Wayne Cameron is doing his best to change the attitude and conduct of the police officers under his command. They expressed the view that there is an improvement in the level of courtesy that is extended to them when they interact with the police.
There is, however, a consensus that rank and file police officers are also suffering from a “big fraid”. Several citizens asserted that when they make reports to the police about illegal activities in their communities, the police officers on arrival do not take responsibility for visiting the community on their own initiative. Instead they announce that they are in the community to investigate reports made to them about activities in the community.
This attitude has the effect of creating strife in the community after the police officers have departed. A good example of this is the issue of loud music being played in breach of the law. Citizens complain that when they call the police and report that loud music is being played, on arrival the police officers invariably announce that they are there in response to reports made to them by citizens of loud music being played. When this is done, as soon as the police depart, citizens suspected of making the reports are abused and threatened by the persons playing the loud music or those connected to them.
Police officers need to understand that when a report is made to them it is for them to investigate the report and then make a decision based on their investigation of the report made to them. In the case mentioned above, it is for them to decide if the music is too loud or not. If they attend premises to instruct occupants to turn down the music, the police officers should fearlessly state that it is their decision that the music is too loud and it is their decision to demand that the music be turned down. Under no circumstance should they tell the music players that it is the citizens who are complaining about loud music why they are there. To do that is to set up citizens for attack by persons who are playing loud music to the disturbance of law abiding citizens.
TAKE THE LEAD
Indeed, police officers should not await reports by citizens to take steps against persons playing loud music. It is their duty to enforce the law. They swore to enforce the law fearlessly and impartially. They should, in compliance with their oath, fearlessly carry out their duties in accordance with the law without cowardly declaring that it is the citizens who are making reports to them.
The leadership of the police force needs to encourage all police officers to enforce the laws and maintain law and order in communities irrespective of the division or section of the Force they are assigned to.
Too often instances are seen where police officers ignore breaches of the law claiming that they work in a section/division that does not deal with the infraction occurring before their eyes. Police officers should go about their duties with an air of fearlessness, impartiality and confidence. This will in turn generate in citizens confidence in the police force. Citizens must have sufficient confidence in members of the Force to make reports to them knowing that the officers will not by words or actions, disclose the source of the report made to them.
When this confidence is fully restored in the Force, police officers will have more reports from more citizens being made to them.
