PAJ to meet police commissioner

Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardly Lewin has agreed to meet with the executive of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) on March 12.



This follows a request by the PAJ President Byron Buckley in the wake of two incidents involving media practitioners and police personnel.



In one incident, Gleaner Photographer Ricardo Makyn was arrested and charged following a clash with a policeman at a crime scene.



This came days after Jamaica Observer reporter Julian Richardson was arrested by two policemen who reportedly demanded a bribe for an alleged traffic offence.



The cops are also said to have threatened to kill Richardson when he promised to report them to their superior.



Makyn said he was outside a cordoned area taking photographs of a crime scene when he a policeman ordered him to stop.

He said an argument developed during which he was shoved twice before he was arrested and charged for using abusive language to a police officer, assaulting a police officer and disobeying the instructions of a police officer.



According to Mr. Buckley, the meeting next week will be used to discuss the relationship between the police and the media.



Mr. Buckley said while there is a major difference in the two incidents, both will be discussed with Commissioner Lewin.



Mr. Makyn is slated to appear in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.