The Editor, Sir:

I am ashamed, scared, disgusted, uncomfortable and horrified by recent published reports that a number of men employed by the state "to serve and protect and reassure" are doing the exact opposite with impunity.

In fact, it seems that there are many career criminals masquerading as policemen and other members of the security forces. Many have been or are engaged in and charged with murder, extortion, drug trafficking, car stealing, rape, carnal abuse and various forms of scams with the power of the state in their hands.

More dangerous

A criminal policeman is 10 times as dangerous as a civilian criminal doing the same thing because one gets your guard down and the other your guard is up from start to finish. A crooked policeman is not only a danger to the public but to his or her 'squaddie'.

Sir, once due process is exhausted and it is established that a member of the security forces is guilty of a crime there should be no mercy, and "removal from frontline duties" is semantics, they should be out of the force and removed from society for the appropriate punishment and/or rehabilitation.

A clear message should be sent that those who join or intend to join the police or the military with the sole intention of launching a criminal career that it will not be tolerated. The many decent members of the security forces and the rest of the citizenry should stop creating excuses, covering up and treating criminals in uniform with kid gloves. Our society is already under threat from all angles, and I do not want to see us descend anymore into what could appear to be a state-sponsored criminals' paradise.

I am, etc.,

MICHAEL SPENCE

micspen2@hotmail.com

P.O. Box 630

Liguanea,

Kingston 6