Chin Lee: Law allows cops to shoot to kill

POLICE Commissioner Hilton Guy yesterday said he had no idea what acting inspector Christopher Holder, Police Second Division President, meant when he advised policemen to “shoot to kill”.

But National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee stated that the law allows a policeman to shoot to kill in the defence of his own life as well as in the protection of the lives of citizens. “If therefore Holder’s remarks were made in that context then they are appropriate,” Chin Lee said. He added, however, that the Government does not condone excessive use of force, police brutality or shooting to kill without due cause. Guy insisted that reporters should ask Mr Holder what he meant by his statement and in what context it had been made. “I am not a member of the Police Second Division, and I cannot tell Mr Holder how he should speak to his members,” Guy said. On Monday Holder advised policemen to shoot to kill to protect themselves. It was said in the light of a spate of recent shootings at policemen. Commenting on the public outcry against police brutality, Mr Guy said that policemen must use their sense in situations. To a suggestion that policemen keep their firearms even when off duty, Guy said that having a firearm would not prevent attacks and could even make officers targets for attacks.

ACP John, head of the Police First Division said he had no position on Holder’s statement, and was unaware of the mandate Holder may have received from his membership on the matter. Guy was speaking to officers at a police promotion ceremony yesterday and urged policemen to take measures to protect themselves. “You are facing more than ever before unprovoked attacks on police officers,” he said. Guy expressed concern at the number of incidents in which police officers were the targets of criminals. He made reference to an incident which took place at the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court in which prisoners threw human filth at police officers. Guy referred to the public’s support of such action as “demoralising”. Meanwhile, top city criminal attorney and Director of  Legal Aid, Israel Khan SC, described Holder’s statement as a “ knee jerk reaction” to the stress and pressure which the police have come under recently. “While I appreciate there is a open warfare by the criminal element against the police, armed officers should not take this advice,” he said. “I caution police in executing their duty not to be trigger happy and shoot first and ask questions  after.” He said an officer is only entitled to kill  an alleged criminal if he is himself is in danger of being killed or maimed, or to prevent someone from being killed of maimed.