MONTEGO BAY, St James — While making it clear that peaceful protests are allowed in Granville, including one planned for Sunday, the constabulary’s commanding officer for St James, Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels says he will not green light community events if residents continue to block the roads.

The area has seen a number of fiery protests as residents vent their anger over a spate of recent killings by members of the security forces, the latest being that of Latoya “Buju” Bulgin on Sunday, May 17, 2026.

“The issue that I am most concerned about is the whole matter of the blocking of the roads right now,” Samuels told residents during a community meeting at Granville Primary School Thursday evening.

“It doesn’t benefit anybody when you block the roads. Number one, I cannot grant any permits for any event,” he explained.

Since the controversial shooting death of Bulgin, some residents have blocked several roads leading in and out of the community. Last Monday’s protest was particularly intense, but over the past week cops and firefighters have been kept busy clearing the roads and extinguishing burning debris.

“Whether you block the roads here, or you block them in the town, or anywhere, right away that’s a no-no. That’s a red flag that we’re going to cancel all events within the space. Because that means that there’s tension in the space and it’s not safe for persons to keep events, or persons to attend events,” Samuels explained.

He told the gathering that he has already reluctantly rejected permits for four events that had come across his desk since the roadblocks began.

“It is not safe, and our thing is about safety and security. Now, you can’t want the two things: You can’t want to block the roads and you want the events, that’s the truth,” the senior cop insisted.

“When the patrol has to be there trying to stop you and playing cat and mouse on blocking the roads, I would want that patrol to be moving around, checking on events, ensuring that you can enjoy yourselves and also earn. That cannot happen because that patrol, and other resources, have to be utilised to man these areas,” he added.

Bulgin and 17-year-old Tjey Edwards, said to be her cousin’s son, were killed seven days apart under controversial circumstances. Edwards was shot dead on May 10, allegedly by a policeman, as cops wrapped up an operation in the area. Bulgin was transporting people protesting Edwards’ death when she was shot dead by a cop standing in front of her Toyota Voxy. At the time, the community was still mourning four-year-old Romaine Bowman and two adult males who were killed on New Year’s Day, allegedly by members of the security forces.

“All of them are under investigation, and I am not allowed to speak on matters that are under investigation, understand,” Samuels told the audience when the killings were raised Thursday.

“The loss of life is something that we have to recognise that it hurts both sides of the fence. We don’t want to see the loss of life, no matter what. I believe that people must grow old and die,” he added.

Making his appeal for the roadblocks to end, Samuels spoke of how restricting access to the area may be detrimental for residents.

“We have between 13,000 [and] 15,000 residents here in Granville, and just one might need the support of the police, [but] because you block the road, that person dies,” he posited.

“Somebody may need to go to the hospital to have a baby or something. Persons need to go and earn, and because of what is being done with the blocking of the road, more negative comes out of a negative situation,” he pointed out.

As he sought residents’ assurance that there would be no more roadblocks, the senior cop stressed that he is willing to work with the community on a peaceful march planned for Sunday and on funeral-themed events they plan to stage in Bulgin’s memory.

During the meeting, residents were harshly critical of the actions of the security forces in the recent killings. Among them was one of Bulgin’s sons, who said he was upset that the police had made no effort to reach out to her family since the incident.

“Everybody know where Buju live if you did want to find us,” he scolded.

For Samuels, one of the areas of focus now is ensuring that the gains made in the last few years in bringing peace to a once-volatile community are not lost.

“What we want to ensure that we do is build back that relationship that existed,” he said.

Police chief for St James Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels addressing residents at Granville Primary School Thursday night. Seated are community activist O Dave Allen (left) and Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay Dwight Crawford (partially hidden).