Stop resisting arrest: JFJ, INDECOM urged to educate the public – DPP Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewelyn has issued a call for civil society, human rights groups included, to play a greater role in helping to educate members of the public who continuously try to block the police from carrying out their duties, especially in cases where they were seeking to make an arrest.

The DPP said it was important for groups such as the Independent Commission of Investigation (INDECOM), to become more vocal in informing members of the public that instead of trying to resist arrest they should comply and then complain.

She was speaking at the LASCO Chin Foundation/JCF Saluting our Heroes Award Ceremony, held on Friday, October 28.

A total of 155 police officers were awarded for their contributions to nation-building.

She went further to talk about the huge challenge that police had to face in the crime fight across the country.

“As police officers, they are given baskets to carry water,” said Llewelyn.

“A lot of problems occur because of dysfunctional families. Communities where there is an element where accommodation of criminality is a part of the culture,” she said.

“You are supposed to ride in, the knight in shining armor to try to fix some of the dysfunctional families and aspects of the culture in the community that looks the other when they have family and relatives, who are wanted men and women and they keep them there under their breast until they turn on them,” said the DPP.

“You now get the information and when you go and instead of the person who the police are seeking to arrest, comply and then complain, there is this great resistance,” the DPP said.

And to make things worse members of the community who accommodate criminality are there encouraging the person to resist arrest and then someone takes out their phone and they present a snapshot only of what occurs and that makes its way to the media, said Llewelyn.

She went on to urge members of the public to continue or participate as members of the law-abiding alliance and encourage their fellow citizens to comply with the lawful orders of the police and if there is an issue thereafter complain.

And I don’t see that focus coming from civil society JFJ we need to have that focus she said. The DPP also said it to officers of INDECOM as well

“Yes, we are all for the preservation of human rights but the community, of Jamaica, that you serve must be educated continuously that when the police give a lawful order you are going to be arrested you must comply and then complain.”

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