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The use of lethal force in a reckless manner

Jan 24, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
Recent incidence of police shootings of unarmed civilians in crowed areas, have caused us much anguish.
On January 21, 2010 an “off-duty” police rank shot at a fugitive on the crowded section of Water Street, and ended up gravely wounding a female vendor who is five months pregnant.
Last week, it was the shooting at a man in the very crowded Stabroek Market area whose offence was having a “toy gun”.
The use of lethal force in a reckless manner by members of the Police Force in particular is the cause of continuing concern. The Government seems not to be sufficiently concerned about this damning situation.
On November 26, 2009, a motion in my name, (and seconded by Raphael Trotman, MP entitled “Non-Lethal Weapons” was debated and passed (with amendments), but not before the usual nonsense coming from the government benches that the Motion would embolden criminals and that we were supporting criminality and weakening the police force by urging that the use of non-lethal weapons be increased, and that those in whom the responsibility to use lethal weapons rested, should be properly and regularly trained.
The main focus of the Motion was as follows:
1. That the police force being equipped with firearms (which are designed to inflict severe injury) while in the execution of their duties from time to time will lawfully use force to protect themselves, prevent the commission of crimes, or to protect property;
2. As a consequence of the use of these weapons more persons will be severely injured or killed, if the required training in marksmanship and good judgment was not enhanced;
3. The motion further recognised that the use of legitimate and appropriate force was the basis of law enforcement agencies globally.
The main objective of the Motion however, was to encourage and obtain the following:
1. The enhancement and intensification of hand to hand combat training within the Force;
2. The review and assessment of training programmes for ranks to be assessed for their psychological fitness and that counseling be provided wherever necessary;
3. The intensification of marksmanship training for all ranks authorised to use firearms; and lastly
4. The use of non or less than lethal weapons such as lasers, pepper spray, and less than lethal ammunition such as rubber projectiles, be extended and training intensified.
The debate, as mentioned before, took on the usual a ‘we against them’ colour or temperature as the Government side sought to equate training the police in the proper use of non lethal weapons described above as, ‘giving the criminals the upper hand’, the blinkered reasoning being that, some of today’s criminals were armed with AK’s and other high powered weapons.
No one expects the police force to engage heavily armed criminals with pepper spray. However, even in cases where there were incidences of police stations coming under attack by heavily armed gangs, a very limited reaction or response was witnessed, as the weapons in the arsenal of the police on those occasions were silent.
Is it appropriate to use a firearm in places and situations where innocent by-standers are at risk?
Is it legitimate and/or appropriate to use lethal force against an alleged knife wielding ‘bad-man” or an insane person when more than three officers are present on the scene of a particular situation and can easily subdue and restrain such and individual?
Ultimately the situation at hand will dictate the action, but the motion presented attempted to give our police more options in the execution of their duties, which would protect them from becoming unwittingly, executioners.
The recent incidences of shootings of by-standers is unacceptable knowing what is possible with proper training and equipment.
The Minister of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force owe Earlene Morgan not only an unmitigated apology, but must bear every responsibility for her medical care and attention.
We pray for her speedy and complete recovery and for her unborn child.
Everall Franklin, MP
Raphael Trotman, MP

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