Thu | Mar 28, 2024

What is the purpose of the police?

Published:Friday | April 29, 2022 | 12:08 AM

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I write completely annoyed with the policing that is being meted out to the residents of Eden Gardens, Vineyard Town. The police station just stands as a building with no purpose.

This happened last month when I returned home one evening. I opened my gate and was about to reverse my car into my driveway when I observed two men walking on my road, which I found weird, as it was minutes to midnight. Alarmed, I turned the headlights off and stopped quarter way down the driveway and my suspicions were correct; they we trying to pull a fast one.

One of the men came into my yard, then I drove out as I thought that was the best thing to do in that situation. I then alerted the Vineyard Town Police Station and the officer who answered sounded as though I woke him from his deep sleep. I explained to him calmly and in detailed manner what happened, and the fact that when I drove on to a neighbouring avenue, I saw the same men, but this time there were four.

I requested him to send a patrol unit, which he agreed to do. One hour later, there was no patrol unit and when I called back the station, the officer had to nerve to tell me that they do not have any unit there and it is only two of them on duty.

PURPOSE

I would like to ask this. What then is the purpose of trying to work with police? What is the purpose of community policing? Why pay so much taxes to run an ineffective and inefficient police force? The one time I thought I needed to be protected and reassured they were nowhere to be found.

Let us be clear, criminals are going to come into a community if they know that the police are not actively monitoring and patrolling that community.

The residents of Eden Gardens deserve better, they don’t deserve to have their property stolen and their citizens to live in fear. They don’t deserve to have a police station which is having no purpose. I am calling on the police commissioner fix this urgently so that the citizens can be reassured and protected.

Fancy tag lines on Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Instagram page is not the answer; pragmatism is!

EXASPERATED RESIDENT

Eden Gardens, Vineyard Town

Kingston