‘They are terrorists!’ - Retired crime-fighter says cops have no time to aim for toes

Radcliffe Lewis, retired Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and renowned crime-fighter, has come out in firm support of Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake's recent controversial statement that "I don't train my police to lose."

Lewis describes the criminal activity plaguing Jamaica as an "insurgency" and believes the commissioner's stance is justified given the deadly threats officers face.

"Our criminals now are terrorists. I would classify their actions as insurgency and when you have an insurgency, you have to deal with it a particular way," Lewis said.

"You have to remind yourself that the criminals are firing at you to kill you, so you cannot be firing to shoot criminal in them foot, toe and fingers. The man has an intention to kill you. So you have to deal with that person in the appropriate manner. If that person survived, so be it. If, for instance, he dies, then there is nothing you can do," Lewis said.

His comments echo growing concerns over the perceived aggressive tactics being employed by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. At least 50 persons have been killed in alleged confrontation by cops since the start of the year, an average of nearly one per day. Human rights group Jamaicans for Justice last week warned that "If this trend continues, Jamaica could see over 250 citizens killed by members of the security forces by the end of the year".

Contacted for comment on the issue yesterday, Lewis insisted that "the police are there to apprehend".

"The police don't want to take anybody's life unnecessarily, but if you engage them in a shootout, that simply means you have the intention to kill them, and they are going to shoot to neutralise the person, and to neutralise them from being killed," Lewis said.

"There is no other way. Our criminals now are insurgents, and you have to deal with them accordingly. The police must defend themselves and the country at all costs."