Police killings in Jamaica of “persons of interest” and wanted men continue to be on the rise.

Close to 30 such alleged miscreants have been shot to death since the start of the year by the police, and while the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) has been investigating most of these cases, human rights lobbyists have been expressing concern as to whether some of these instances of shootings can be solely attributed to the legitimate use of deadly force and are not the result of summary executions or what can best be described as extrajudicial killings. On the other hand, in all such reported cases the police have maintained that they took the necessary action to protect their own lives, which were threatened during an operation, to apprehend such individuals.

As a result of the high murder rate in the country as well as the brutal manner in which such acts of violence have been carried out, there has been the view that these heartless gunmen should be shown no mercy. Indeed, in the wake of several mass shootings, including the slaying of children, women, and the elderly, a seemingly fed up Prime Minister Andrew Holness has publicly intoned that these killers should turn themselves in or be prepared to meet their maker should they choose to engage the police in gunfire.

In this context the use of deadly force is oftentimes justified. “Deadly force” is defined as the use of force that could result in death or serious bodily harm. Examples of deadly force include using a weapon or firing a gun. With respect to law enforcement, the police can use deadly force when they believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious bodily harm. Cops can also use deadly force to prevent a fleeing felon from escaping if they believe the escapee would pose a significant threat. Of course, there have also been cases in which people of unsound mind have allegedly posed a threat to the police and are killed as an act of self-defence.

But there is another side to this bizarre and worrying story that is not attracting public attention or being thoroughly researched, and that is the phenomenon of suicide by cop. According to
Wikipedia, suicide by cop, also known as suicide by police or law-enforcement-assisted suicide, is a method by which a suicidal individual deliberately behaves in a threatening manner with intent to provoke a lethal response from a public safety or law enforcement officer (or security guard) to end his/her own life.

This writer was recently speaking with a “youthman” from what is considered to be a violent community, trying to understand why so many young men are throwing their lives away in the pursuit of crime. His response, in part, was, “Boss, plenty a dem no expect to live to see 30 years old, so dem just go all out to get rich quick and die young.” I also asked him why a cornered gunman would choose to take on several cops, choosing to shoot it out instead of turning himself in? He chuckled and said, “Cho, him know say dem nah go tek him in alive so him might as well die like a hero. A so tings set inna di ghetto.”

In this vein, experts say there are two broad categories of suicide by cop. The first is when someone has committed a crime and is being pursued by the police and decides that he or she would rather die than be arrested. These people may not otherwise be suicidal but may simply decide that life is not worth living if they are incarcerated and thus will provoke the police to kill them. The second version involves people who are already contemplating suicide and decide to provoke law enforcement into killing them. These individuals may commit a crime with the specific intention of provoking a law enforcement response.

When all is said and done, the potent question that must be asked is: How many of our deceased gunmen (especially the young ones) who have been slain by the police after pointing a weapon at law enforcement officers did so as one last act of intended suicide, and why would they choose such a way to exit this life?

I have often told the story about my involvement in what turned out to be the saving of a young criminal’s life — although many would say “him fi dead”. One day, while at my office, I was called by a prominent Montego Bay attorney-at-law (now deceased) who pleaded with me to assist him in taking in a client of his who was on the police most wanted list. The young man had decided to turn himself in but was fearful for his life as he believed the cops would kill him.

The attorney begged and beseeched me, as I was most reluctant, fearing that while transporting him to the police station we could be apprehended and I could be accused of harbouring a known fugitive from justice. He assured me that as a justice of the peace and a well-known and respected citizen of the western city the police would hesitate to do so, or, even worse, carry out a summary execution, having snatched him from us.

So on our way we went with the young wanted man crouched in the back of the lawyer’s high-end vehicle and me a nervous wreck sitting quietly as we headed for the Barnett Street police station. On our arrival we quickly ushered him upstairs, his face covered with a bandanna. On arrival at the then Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB) room, the lawyer had him reveal his face while stating that he was turning in his client to face the law.

Amidst many instances of hissing of teeth and vexed looks, he was taken into custody, but as I exited that room I glanced at a bulletin board with several photographs of wanted men, and the photograph of the young man we had just carried in was very much there, but with an X marked through it. As the wanted man was being carried away I could see that he had wet his pants, trembling in abject fear.

The sad truth is that too many of our young men are dying or are being incarcerated after having chosen to pursue a life of crime and violence, and this is an indictment on successive governments in this country who have failed to deal with this national crisis.

Extrajudicial killings or imprisonment alone cannot and should not be seen as the only way to deal with this problem. Ways and means in the short-, medium- and long-term must be found to save our boys and young men lest this country continues on a path to become another Haiti.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved full-time in Jamaican media for the past 49 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or
lbsmith4@gmail.com.