Attack on messenger

THE RECORD will show that this newspaper has always supported the police in their various efforts at dealing with the crime problem in Trinidad and Tobago. Within recent years, the different stratagies, campaigns and operations launched by the police in their battle against the criminals have not been as successful as the country was led to expect but, nevertheless, we have been invariably supportive of their initiatives, recognising that theirs is a dangerous job, that the society as a whole should rally to their assistance and that maintaining the morale of our crime-fighting force was important in our present circumstances.

We say all that as a preface to replying to Police Commissioner Hilton Guy who criticised the media for screaming "police brutality" while, even more frequently, it is police officers who are being attacked. "It is with great interest that I am awaiting the next headline," the Commissioner added. Mr Guy may well be alluding to Newsday's lead story last week Tuesday which carried the front page headline: "Family accuse Police...Who killed Jiggers?" The Newsday account dealt, in part, with the death of Kerry "Jiggers" Joseph who was one of two persons shot on Thursday 22 during a reported exchange of gunfire at Pioneer Drive, Diego Martin, between a gang of men, including Joseph, and a police officer. After Joseph died at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital four days later, both his common-law wife, Althea Marcano, and his mother, Martha Martin, disputed the police story of a shoot-out. His mother noted that nothing has been heard of the drug dealer who was with the police officer at the time Joseph was shot. "I want to know what's going on," she told Newsday. "Who killed my son? This thing is just so bizarre."

With all due respect to Mr Guy, we believe that Joseph's wife and mother are entitled to know just how he died and to question the police story that the part-time mason was shot by one of his own gang members. Moreover, they are also entitled to have their views aired in the media. We expect that the investigation being conducted by senior officers into this shooting death will be as thorough and impartial as possible and that the results, whatever they may be, will be given to Joseph's family. While the media may see the need generally to support the police anti-crime initiatives, the Commissioner must understand that we cannot take sides in actually reporting what takes place on the scene or suppress what those involved happen to tell us. Residents of Sea Lots and other underprivileged areas, for example, have  complained about the undue force and rough tactics employed by police teams which have raided their areas in the recent crackdown. When their grievances are reported, it is not the media "screaming police brutality" but citizens expressing their grievances over the manner in which police officers conduct their raids. Rather than condemn the messenger, it is for Mr Guy to determine the truth about these complaints and to act accordingly.

The attacks on police officers also provoke our deep concern which is reflected in our promiment reports. We believe, in fact, that persons convicted of violence to policemen should be severely dealt with by our courts. On the other hand, Mr Guy is experienced enough to know that the service has been tainted by the action of some rogue officers and there is a long history of persons being killed and shot to death by policemen in questionable circumstances. We would refresh his memory by calling such names as Cadogan, Abdul Kareem, Omawale, Glenroy Elder, Gideon Edwards and Alwyn King. We do not expect police officers to treat criminals with kid gloves, but we also feel that when citizens complain about police tactics they also have a right to be heard.