Lashley calls for cops to explain ‘success’ of Pine operation
Former member of parliament (MP) for St Michael South East, Hamilton Lashley, is calling on the Barbados Police Service to clearly spell out the “success” it said it achieved from last Sunday’s lockdown of The Pine, St Michael.
Lashley said while he supported the operation – which saw every major artery in the area being blocked off, and homes, vehicles and residents being searched by police, assisted by soldiers – more transparency was needed regarding the findings.
In the only response so far by lawmen, police communications and public affairs officer, acting Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, stated on Sunday evening: “The operation was a success and we want to thank the general public as we continue to serve, protect and reassure.”
Lashley had many questions.
“The police said that it was very successful. Did they arrest anyone? Were any guns captured or confiscated in the intervention strategy? Was there any literature made available to the protection strategies and all of that to the people in The Pine?
“Also, was this involvement targeted to capture an escaped prisoner? If so, we believe that we should also know if that was part of the strategy, because obviously cars were searched . . . and so on.”
The former Government minister, community practitioner, and long-standing resident of The Pine, said brute force alone could not be the answer.
“The Corey Lane (former Minister of State in the Attorney General’s Office with Responsibility for Crime Prevention) approach, that to me was working. Other people have other ideas, but it’s that kind of comprehensive intervention strategy that is needed.
“There is an urgent need to return to what I call community rehabilitation programmes . . . . It cannot only be the brute force methodology. It was necessary because of the numerous incidents of gun-shooting in the Pine. That kind of strategy is necessary, but it cannot be a permanent, long-lasting strategy.”
Lashley added that a greater police presence was needed in the area.
“You have a police outpost in The Pine. I feel that needs to be stopped. More people are needed on the ground . . . not just a couple of people. They must work in harmony and synchronisation with the Community Development Department . . . . They have to work with all the agencies as a kind of social intervention strategy.”
Efforts to reach current MP for the area, Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw for a response, and Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce for an update on the operation, were unsuccessful up to press time.
(SG)
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