THE Jamaica Police Federation yesterday called on the Police High Command to put in place a “measured, proportionate and appropriate response” when a member of the constabulary is murdered.

“We want the force to rethink how it responds to police killings and to send a signal to gunmen that when such acts are perpetuated, it will not be business as usual,” said Corporal Hartley Stewart, the Federation’s general secretary.

“.Where gunmen kill without due consideration for other persons’ right to life, the killers must understand that such violations of a fundamental human right will result in relentless pursuit and apprehension of death.

So the kind of response the force will be sending when such dastardly acts occur should be designed so that people will think twice before perpetuating these violent acts,” Stewart said.

However, apart from pursuing the police killers, it was unclear last night what action the Federation, which represents rank-and-file cops, wanted the constabulary to take when its members are gunned down.

The Federation’s statement come in the aftermath of Friday’s slaying of Detective Sergeant Desmond Carter, who was shot by gunmen in Ensom City, Spanish Town, St Catherine while sitting in his Honda Civic motor car. His firearm was stolen.

Carter was the sixth policeman to be murdered this year.

Stewart said that an average of 14 police officers are killed by gunmen annually, a figure which he said cannot be tolerated. Last year 13 policemen were murdered.

In expressing condolence to family of the slain detective, Stewart said the number of police officers that are being murdered was a disincentive for new recruits to the force and ultimately weighs heavily on serving cops.