Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/3244/-1/133/
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HEARTICALLY YOURS: Where Are You In The Mix? by Ijahnya Christian
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As I listened to the radio address by the Commissioner of Police on the occasion of Police Week 2006, I thought for the one thousandth time about how we could join forces to turnaround the trend of violence and especially gun violence among our young people. As a Rastafarian and a Development Worker I have had close encounters with members of the Royal Anguilla Police Force from all sides of the law.
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Ijahnya Christian
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Generally, I find the officers to be courteous and respectful, though not as quick as one would like when responding to calls made to the police station. I have had the usual clashes with them over their rapid response to reports about the usual thing and by contrast their slow response to breaches in Family Law and their non-response to the breaking of Environmental Legislation for example. I have on record instances of police breaking some laws in the name of enforcing the law and I have also questioned why officers whom I know to be good police seem to be sidelined for promotion
while others are promoted for reasons that seem to be known only to those promoting them. The name of at least one officer is coming to my attention consistently for what is being perceived as his abuse of uniform, office and power but there are others that I believe could be placed to work in the heart of gang culture without harm, not because they are collaborators but because they have found ways of making culturally appropriate and respectful responses without even bending the law. Last year I argued briefly with an officer who came to my yard looking for my son and questioned my son at the police station in a manner that was unacceptable to us his parents but we cooperated fully. The officer later found out that it was indeed a case of mistaken identity but thought it was too much for him to call and let us know. He did not even return my phone calls over several days and when I finally caught up with him, seemed not to understand at all the value of such a call in
strengthening police-public relations.
The Commissioner’s address somehow reminded me of Brian Lara as Captain of the West Indies Cricket Team. Lara had the knack of always sounding hopeful and optimistic with the press after the most dismal performance by his team. Usually at that point, with a public like us, the Team becomes his. We own them only when they are winning and as I tell my good friend Nesta, it is people like her who perpetuate the losses by sending forth all kinds of bad vibes to the team, kicking them when they are down instead of providing the moral support needed to boost them back up again. I am not sure whether this is a cultural bias or just human nature wanting to be associated with success more so than with the lack thereof. However, I certainly want to encourage everyone to support the police in the prevention and reduction of violent crime, especially if we see them really making an effort to reconnect with the community. This is critical because I believe think that we can bring police
from Interpol and whatever is the cream of the crop in the world of policing but if police relations with the Anguillian community do not improve, there will be much wastage of even those increased resources. Criticism is easy so I look forward to the restoration of good relations promised by the new initiatives announced in the Police Week address and I wouldn’t be me if I did not invite myself to make a contribution.
We can begin by identifying non-threatening ways of working with the police to enable them to serve and protect us as they are charged to do. Last week I was really inspired while driving behind car number A1493 looking at the Peace Maker sign he/she had written on the back of the car. I wanted to reason with the driver about beginning an island-wide peace campaign - a movement in which people would identify themselves with that sign and signal their willingness to become involved in restoring the peace. I know it can be done. People’s initiatives in working with the police would not be unique to Anguilla either. In Belize there is the Youth for the Future initiative, one aspect of which is a street-based Advisory Board comprising gang leaders and “shot callers” of the informal groups. Youth for the Future recognizes that many of the young people involved in the violence also have an entrepreneurial spirit that needs to be redirected. Another element is the Violence
Reduction and Conflict Resolution Programmes that has been introduced into the high schools. The BLING programme (I’ve forgotten what BLING stands for) in Trinidad is another initiative which focuses on providing training and rehabilitation programmes for unattached youth on the block. Both of these programme integrate their work with that of the police and sometimes take great risks in providing information but very often, because they have the trust of the young people involved in criminal behaviour, it is they and not the police, who help these youth to turn themselves in. Bankie Banx is more than willing and able to mobilize the music fraternity and I am willing to work on the streets and in the trenches as well as with parents toward that end. Maybe the decision-makers would prefer to spend some money with the UNICEF Xchange programme instead of the home grown model that goes deeper. The Anguilla Stingray Programme has similar objectives and proposes to offer a
collaborative approach but this must be agreed between the partners and not imposed or it will not work. We have a culture of thinking that the best expertise must come from outside so if need to go to St. Maarten and arrive by plane, just let me know.
A couple of years ago, I welcomed the invitation to assist the police in launching its Community Policing initiative but I think the police failed to grasp the opportunities that could have been created within the context of Community Policing to regain the trust of the community it exists to serve and protect. Just last week when some of my students expressed surprise that I felt no fear walking or driving through any part of Anguilla, they arrived at the conclusion with absolutely no nudging from me that I am respected because I am Rasta. That interaction reminded me of the long-awaited appointment to discuss with the appropriate police leadership, how the Anguilla Stingray Music Programme can assist in the revival of its sorely needed Community Policing. I am still awaiting that call. Meanwhile, the Anguillian community cannot in any way, shape or form remain silent and uninvolved if the police are being seen as the enemy because if the criminals begin to target the police
as is happening in other Caribbean jurisdictions, will we too turn to the Dons for service and protection? That’s not my choice. Where are you in the mix for 2006?