INDECOM urges cops to be more careful with firearms

The accidental discharge of firearms by law enforcement personnel has resulted in injury to nine officers between January and September this year, the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has reported.

For the nine-month period, INDECOM said there were 23 incidents of accidental discharge of weapons by lawmen.

INDECOM Commissioner Hugh Faulkner said yesterday that the situation causes heightened concern for the agency, as each of the incidents had the potential of seriously harming civilians, the officer involved, or a colleague.

The commission reported that between January and June this year, there were 13 incidents of accidental discharge of firearm by law enforcement personnel.

Asked to provide a comparative analysis of accidental shooting incidents between Jamaica’s security forces and similar law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions, Faulkner said the agency had not yet done the research. However, he said INDECOM was not averse to carrying out the study.

“I would not rely on any comparative analysis to take comfort in the data. Where nine officers are injured, could it be otherwise one way or the other? We submit, ‘yes’. We do not wish it to escalate into something more serious, even for injuries, which can have debilitating consequences,” he said.

Faulkner urged members of the security forces to utilise their weapons in a safe manner for themselves, the public and persons who they may come in contact with.

He said Section 11 of the INDECOM Act mandates that the security forces report any incident that results in injury.

editorial@gleanerjm.com