Welcome

Dennis Jones is a Jamaican-born international economist, who has lived most of the time in the UK and USA, and latterly in Guinea, west Africa. He moved back to the Caribbean in 2007. This blog contains his observations on life on this small eastern Caribbean island, as well as views on life and issues on a broader landscape, especially the Caribbean and Africa.

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Sunday, December 21, 2008

State of The Police.

I'm an unfortunate individual. I spent 30 years living in the UK, and was so unaccustomed to seeing police with guns that I am still fearful when I visit the US, while I live in Barbados, when I visit Jamaica, and see policemen with firearms. I know that police officers are not saints, so I am happier when I feel the stakes are even and they and I are unarmed.

I visited Washigton DC over the past few days and encountered perhaps the most shocking experience I have ever had with a police officer. I was searching for a parking space and saw a police car parked in front of the store I needed to visit. I pulled in front and got out just as the female officer returned to the car. "Excuse me, where could I find parking that would give me easy access to this store?" I asked. "You don't see de sign? Ev'wher' we got signs tellin' you whe' to park. Now move your car an' let me get out." OK, I thought. Bad day? I noted the licence plate of the car and went back to my car. I pulled ahead a few inches and the police car pulled out and made a fast U turn and went on her way. I used to have no fear of asking a police officer for directions. Now, I will be more wary.

I was always dumbfounded to see American policemen acting like louts while on duty: eating food like yobbos, talking as if they were in a crowded market, and behaving just like ordinary people. I was always accustomed to seeing what could be regarded as "better behaviour" by the police. I guess times have changed.

The police and may officials can be a law unto themselves, and that can be very scary.I am not in Barbados so am leery of offering comments on the case I read in the papers that two press workers were arrested while trying to follow a story on policy misconduct (see Nation Newspaper). From the distance of another island, further to the north, I will watch how this story unfurls.

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