Police Commissioner, Dr. Kevin Blake, is calling on the public and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, JCF, to reject narratives that sympathize with criminals, urging focus on justice for victims of heinous crimes.
In his latest ‘Commissioner’s Corner’ update, Dr. Blake emphasized that the JCF’s priority remains steadfast: bringing perpetrators to justice.
He says the police will not entertain misleading discussions that seek to divert their attention.
Robian Williams reports.
The Police Commissioner says the Cherry Tree Lane massacre in Clarendon, which claimed eight lives and left nine others injured, is a brutal wake up call for Jamaicans.
Dr. Kevin Blake notes that the heinous incident is a stark reminder of the depths to which criminal elements have fallen.
He says the police must send a clear message to criminals that they now have the full and undivided attention of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
He says, “While we have always been making the point that criminals are not our friends and we make no apology to pursue them wherever they hide, we must be even more strident in the face of this brutal act of cowardice and terrorism.”
The Commissioner asserts that a sense of misguided empathy often surrounds the conversation of crime in Jamaica.
Dr. Blake has criticized the misplaced empathy that often arises in discussions about crime, where offenders are sometimes portrayed as troubled individuals failed by the state.
He warns that such narratives wrongly shift the blame onto law enforcement instead of holding criminals accountable for their actions.
He says, “Mark my words, these will be some of the elements of the discourses in sympathy and empathy, not for the victims but for these elements of evil.”
He adds that these narratives, while few in number, are loud and pervasive, often overshadowing the voices of the true victims and their communities.
Commissioner Blake notes that the substance of focus is to go after murderers and let them proffer their explanations in court.
Dr. Blake says the JCF’s mission is clear: to rid communities of criminals and criminal gangs, while remaining focused, relentless, and resilient in this pursuit.
He’s urging citizens to support the police in reclaiming their communities.
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