MONTEGO BAY, St James — Minister of Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte has charged members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to resist the temptation to act outside the ambit of the law — even when they apprehend suspects who commit some of the most egregious crimes.

“In your role as a member of the security force always remember that, no matter the crime, no matter what you feel, when you encounter someone you must uphold the standard of the law, difficult as it is,” Malahoo Forte urged.

She was speaking at the West Jamaica Conference (WJC) of Seventh-day Adventists (SDA’s) Fourth Annual Security Forces and Youth Mentorship Prayer Breakfast held at SDA Conference Centre in Mount Salem, St James, on Sunday.

She spoke of a recent conversation with a group of law enforcers at Freeport Police Station. The cops, she said, admitted that it is sometimes a challenge to remember that individuals accused of committing truly horrendous crimes are still human beings.

“And then I asked, ‘When you feel that way, how do you deal with such a person?’ I respected the honesty of those who shared because they exposed the struggle that I see, and perhaps the judge sees, in another context,” she added.

Malahoo Forte, who is also Member of Parliament for St James West Central, reminded the men and women of the JCF that at all times they are expected to act within the limits of the constitution, even in the face of temptation.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our highest law guarantees standards, they guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms; and there is something in the constitution which speaks to treating people with inherent dignity, of being a human being. And I know that in this society that [treating others like human beings] has gotten so coarse [that] we sometimes look on each other and think that someone is not a human being,” she said.

“I believe so many things have been normalised that are on the other side of the law; there are many who call wrong, right and expect to be applauded and supported in their wrongdoings. And sometimes they expect you, members of the security forces, to be facilitators of their wrongdoing; and unfortunately we have examples where members from among the forces have been proven beyond reasonable doubt to have been part of wrongdoing and facilitators of other wrongdoing,” Malahoo Forte added.

She reminded them that they need to remain above the fray.

“As we battle for the soul of this nation I’d like to remind you that there is a difference between the fight of the criminal and the fight of the State. The criminals fight, violating the law, and the State must fight, upholding the law,” the minster appealed.

WJC President Pastor Glen Samuels stressed that members of the security forces are accountable to God and need His wisdom and protection in the execution of their duties.

“Not only do you need God’s protection to keep you safe — because guns can’t keep you safe — but you need God’s wisdom in order to continue to make right decisions and right choices, and in the hour of maximum danger to know that He is still a God who answers prayer. You need God’s wisdom,” the clergyman emphasised.

“Members of the Jamaica Defence Force and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force we are proud of you… We would like to put our hands together, and as a churchman I join you, in upholding and defending the law of the land,” Samuels added.