Residents damage police vehicles during stand-off

A strong contingent of police and soldiers maintained a presence in Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, St Catherine, yesterday following a tense stand-off between residents of a section known as Capture Land and the security forces.

Head of the St Catherine North Police Division, Superintendent Hopton Nicholson, said the police were carrying out an operation about 9 a.m. when they were attacked by residents.

"During the operation, the police were in the process of apprehending a suspect when citizens attacked them. Stones and other items were thrown at the police which resulted in damage to several service vehicles. Four service vehicle tyres were slashed and the person who was the intended target managed to escape," he said.

The suspect is identified as Raniel Hope, otherwise called 'Ranny'. Nicholson said that in order to prevent further damage to the service vehicles, and injuries to the officers, the police had to use less lethal force and fired warning shots.

"The citizens then blocked several roadways and lit fires to debris along some of the roads leading to Ellerslie Pen, and the police, with the help of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, managed to clear the roadways and are maintaining a strong presence in the area," he said.

Nicholson told THE STAR that despite the uproar, he and his team are determined to stay on top of things and vow to bring the lawbreakers in yesterday's chaos to justice.

"Law and order will be maintained in Ellerslie Pen and other surrounding communities and the police will be conducting investigations to bring the perpetrators who are responsible for the damages to the service vehicles to justice. These service vehicles were damaged by residents who were unprovoked," he said.

"We implore citizens not to attack the police as the police, who are adequately trained, will use legal and justifiable means to defend themselves and government properties," Nicholson added.