Orville Taylor | More shoot to kill?

Anger and frustration are the worst coaches when one is effecting public policy or on a public podium. Those of us in positions of influence have a responsibility to not make statements which will likely be taken out of context, or lead people astray.

My father Elder Taylor of blessed memory always guided me to Romans 14:16. “Let not your good be evil spoken of!”

We are all collectively angry, after all, six police officers have been murdered since the beginning of the year. Compared to last year, the numbers look likely to surpass the total number of persons killed during that period. Even more frustrating have been the number of killings that fall outside of the norm and therefore affect our deep sentiment. The most horrific have included that off two women who were social influences and that animalistic slaughter of a mother and her four children in Clarendon. This last one, in particular, has shaken up the national conscience. Yet, more alarming is that it was done without the use of firearms. It was a cold-blooded execution which would put a butcher to shame.

Two months ago a popular member of parliament (MP) starting his political campaign, and perhaps to consolidate his support in his constituency, called for a resumption of hanging. Not only is this wishful thinking at best and though supported by the population at large; it simply will not happen. And I use Border Cat’s voice here. “Dat will neva appn!”

In the wake of this diatribe by the MP, the national security minister, Horace Chang, with great stridence, declared that he wants the police to shoot to kill. On the surface, as I stated in earlier columns and commentaries, the statement has solid basis in law and the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s own use of force policy. Police are not trained to shoot and miss. In fact, once the legal prerequisites to shoot have been settled, then it is immaterial whether the shot is deadly or otherwise.

DANGER

The danger of the minister’s statement, however, is that it may be misinterpreted by a minority of the police force, unfamiliar with the policy. Therefore, at the critical moment, they may form the misguided opinion that the minister is supporting a reduction or abridging of the use of force policy. As inconvenient as it may be to some powerful individuals, the law is indeed a shackle and arrest, prosecution and conviction could very well be the path for police officers, who act based on emotions rather than law and procedure.

Chang is at it again, and I truly understand how exasperated he is. Indeed, he knows he has my nuts and bolts type support and not simply talk. He is almost literally in the firing line, because St James, the parish which he has represented for more than four decades, has the highest homicide rate in the country.

Moreover, he is the focal point of the prime minister’s unrealistic and overly ambitious promise regarding open doors.

There is more egg on the face to come, because it was under the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) that we saw the highest rate at which criminal elements killed police officers.

Flashback to 2008, the first full year under the Bruce Golding-led JLP; 20 police officers were killed. And a year after the 2007 general election, we saw the beginning of the bloodiest quarter in history, where 15 cops were murdered.

Some may have forgotten, but many serving police officers and ‘copophiles’ remember well. Truth is, the JLP does not have a good record over their last three stints in power, and Chang is under pressure.

Not surprisingly, his heart again hurdles his discretion and he made an utterance. Again, his emotions have come to the fore. And let me help him here.

ON OUR TOES

We are on our toes because he has told you to brace for more police kings of criminal suspects. Believe me, all ears in the international human rights groups, especially Amnesty International, are pricked up. But none so than the average mother of the typical inner-city male who sees himself in the cross hairs.

Despite their skin bleaching and their gender-repressing ‘spangie’ pants, they are young black men, who represent 71 per cent of all persons killed by criminals and an even higher percentage of those killed by the cops.

But Chang does have a point. When we look at data regarding police killings versus police officers killed, since 2000, the ratio in Jamaica and the United States is around 18:1. Yes, they are identical.

Moreover, most Jamaican suspects, unlike American, are killed during planned operations. Therefore, more ‘Ops’ should likely mean more fatalities by cops.

However, this assumes that the suspects are going to be as bold and the police are not going to use more non-lethal means.

Even with this best explanation, the message from Chang ought not to have been scripted as such.

It sounds like something we do not want to hear. Yes, we want clear and decisive action.

- Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com.