THE TOUR by the Commissioners probing the July West Kingston violence began with a stop at the Lincoln Crescent, "Black Roses Corner" in South St. Andrew. This was the scene where Arnett Gardens "don" William "Willie Haggart" Moore, Albert "Blacka Douche" Bonner and Noel "Big Bunny" Hinds were killed, allegedly by gunmen, on April 18.
At the start of the tour Chairman of the Commission, Julius Isaac, was almost knocked off his feet. He was slammed in the head by a television camera, as he alighted from his SUV. The television cameraman was turning around to film him, when the accident happened.
Mr. Isaac held his head, but was not injured and was able to continue his walk.
After the Lincoln Crescent stop, the tour continued past Arnett Gardens, down Collie Smith Drive past Wilton and Federal Gardens, west along Spanish Town Road to the Remand Centre, where it swung around, and headed back east. The rest of the route included the Denham Town police station, Denham Town, Milk Lane to Spanish Town Road, Industrial Terrace, Bustamante Highway into Tivoli Gardens, Tivoli Court, the Tivoli Gardens community centre, the Command Post at the Coronation Market and ended on North Street.
The longest stop was in Tivoli Gardens. People rushed out of their homes to get a glimpse of Commissioner Isaac.
After the tour, the Commissioners headed back to the Mutual Life Building, where they met briefly before adjourning for the day.
Prior to the tour, the Commission met for 90 minutes in the morning. During this period JLP Senator James Robertson and his attorney, Douglas Thompson, appeared but was rescheduled for December 11 when the attorney said he was not able to proceed immediately.
The Commissioners also heard testimony from Deputy Commissioner of Police Sydney Brooks, in charge of administration and support services.
DCP Brooks said that he could not assist the Commission as to the number of police officers who had used deadly force during the operation.
He admitted to attorney for the Public Defender, Earl Witter, that there were moral obligations connected to the use of firearms included in the training of policemen. He said that he would need to check the records, but he felt sure that members of the Crime Management Unit, the Mobile Re-serve and the Special Anti Crime Task Force (SACTF) are exposed to refresher courses or additional training, from time to time.
He said that there was a policy of annual refresher courses for all policemen in the use of firearms, which involved their moral obligations in the use of firearms.
He admitted that he had never experienced an incident which involved the use of such deadly force as the July 7-10 incident in West Kingston.
He said that, in his opinion, accuracy in firing weapons would form a great part of the training of policemen, but that he would need to refresh his memory from his lecture notes to confirm whether primacy was given to maiming as against causing death.
DCP Brooks said that investigations into incidents in which deadly force is used are carried out by the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI). The Police Public Complaints Authority can also investigate. The administrative directive is normally done in-house by the divisional officer, the Police Federation and the chaplain's unit.
He said that he was not aware whether or not the BSI was involved in investigations into the use of deadly force during the July 7-10 operation in West Kingston, but it would be fair to say that they were expected to be involved.
He said that he was aware of the suspicion that the JCF did use deadly force during that operation, but he could not say whether any of the officers involved were withdrawn from front-line duties.
DCP Brooks was asked by Mr. Witter, whether it invariably followed that after an alleged use of deadly force, the police officer would be withdrawn from front-line duties and what was the criteria to determine whether or not the officer would be withdrawn.
He said that it was not automatic and would be dependent on the report and recommendation from the person who does the initial investigations. Then the administrative enquiry would be done "to firm up" what has been happening, "and then it goes from there."
He said that he could not say who conducted the initial investigations in terms of the July 7-10 investigations, or the administrative investigations. He said that he was involved in a follow-up involving Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams' team and knew that they were counselled by the chaplain, but he was not aware that any member of his team was withdrawn from front-line duties.
