THE Police High Command yesterday warned members and supporters of the Spanish Town-based Clansman gang against any disruption of activities in the town during tomorrow’s viewing and “parade” of the body and Sunday’s funeral of slain gang leader Donovan “Bulbie” Bennett.

“.Police personnel have been fully briefed, they are fully prepared and they stand ready to support all law-abiding citizens in pursuit of their legitimate and lawful activities. Members of the security forces are fully prepared to respond to the challenges that may arise on the weekend and beyond,” the High Command said in a statement yesterday.

The police are apparently trying to avoid the riot and lockdown of Spanish Town for two days following the October 30 slaying by cops of the ruthless gang leader, who police said was wanted for more than 80 murders. Bennett, who operated one of the largest extortion rackets in Spanish Town, was on the run for 10 years before he was killed in an alleged shoot-out at his hillside mansion at Tanaky, near Rock River in Clarendon. Police said he amassed wealth worth than $100 million.

The Police High Command, which did not mention Bennett’s name in its statement, said intelligence gathered and reports received over the past two weeks indicated that citizens of the town, especially members of the business community were being coerced by criminal elements to close their businesses on a predetermined day over the weekend or ‘face the consequences’.

“It has also come to our attention that other citizens are being coerced and intimidated to wear special colours, or place special colours on their motor vehicles (especially taxi and bus operators) or again face the ‘consequences’. Intelligence reports also suggest the criminal activities and general lawlessness are being planned for certain areas of Clarendon,” the police said.

The police said it could not divulge security plans for the weekend, but said citizens could be assured that the security forces would take all the necessary steps, legal and operational, to ensure the maintenance of law and order.

At the same time, the police said they would be enforcing the Road Traffic Act, the Town and Community Act, the Noise Abatement Act and the Jamaica Constabulary Force Act in order to ensure that there are no disruptions of normal activities in St Catherine or Clarendon over the weekend.

Bennett’s body will be taken on a tour of sections of Spanish Town on Saturday, while the funeral service will be on Sunday at DelaVega City playing field. Burial will be at the family plot at Goshen in Clarendon.

The ‘tour’, which starts at 4:00 pm at the DelaVega City Community Centre, will travel through Rivoli, sections of Thompson Pen and other communities in the old capital where the slain gangster operated.

Two caskets have been ordered – one for the ‘tour’ and the other for the burial.

The casket that will be used for the ‘tour’ will also be used later in the evening for the viewing of the body, and is fully decorated with photos of “Bulbie”, with an orange background.

The casket is made of glass and wooden strips. “He will be driven in a glass house chariot, for all to see,” said Tommy Thompson, CEO of Brite Lite Funeral Service.

The burial casket, which is made mostly of glass, has handles imported from Texas, United States and was made of 18 karat gold, said Thompson.

Thompson said the Spanish Town police will step up security at the funeral to make sure that weapons are not taken to the service.

Sources told the Observer that the funeral is expected to cost well more than $2 million.