RESIDENTS of Tivoli Gardens, Denham Town, Rose Town, Federal Gardens and Wilton Gardens – all inner-city communities – yesterday blocked sections of Spanish Town Road to protest against the transfer of Superintendent Harry Daley from the Kingston West Division to the Inspectorate Branch.

Daley, popularly called ‘Bungles’, was last week instructed to clear his desk at the Denham Town Police Station. He will be succeeded by his second-in-command at Denham Town, Deputy Superintendent, G A Griffiiths.

The angry residents, who used their bodies, old cars, tyres, rocks, pieces of wood and other forms of debris to block the Spanish Road – from the intersection with Waltham Park Road to Industrial Terrace – said Daley was able to keep crime down in their communities.

“For the first time in history, West Kingston is rated as having one of the lowest murder rates in Jamaica,” one protester told the Observer. “Thanks to Harry Bungles,” he said.

The protesters included both elderly and young residents, including a number of skimpily-clad women who used their bodies to block the road in front of the Denham Town Police Station.

The residents credited Daley with restoring and maintaining peace in the western section of the city. The cop, they claimed, was the man responsible for the sharp drop in violent crimes in the division and who also spearheaded social programmes aimed at integrating members of rival communities, through sports and religious activities. The loss of Daley’s services, they said, would hurt the entire West Kingston.

“Harry Bungles is the man who make Rema youth them stop kill them one another. A him make Passa Passa (a popular street dance) can keep and youths from all bout can come and nothing no go on,” said one placard-bearing demonstrator. “For the most part it has been a peaceful demonstration,” an officer at the Denham Town Police Station said, as he stood watch outside the station.

The road blocks caused delays for some road users who had to use alternative routes. Commuters were also inconvenienced and many school children had to walk to get to their destinations.