On duty police officers were attacked by armed criminals twice last night. The first incident occurred at 7:33 when a man pointed a gun in a policeman’s face and threatened to kill him. Three hours later another gunman opened fire on a police patrol and it would take three police patrol units to detain him, and that’s only after they shot him. Eastern Division boss and Assistant Commissioner of Police Allan Whylie told us more at a press conference held this morning.
ACP Allan Whylie, Commander – Eastern Division
“Sometime around 10 last night a police patrol was in the area of West Collet Canal and Neal Penn Road where they observed two male persons on individual bikes behaving suspiciously. Patrol attempted to stop these individuals who turned around and continued riding. The officer pursued them and while pursuing them, two shots were fired at him. The individual continued riding up into Waight Street where another mobile patrol came up to him and two more shots again were fired at the police who again responded. That individual was apprehended by another police mobile. So eventually, we ended up with three mobile in the area.”
And three hours before that assault – a man pointed a gun in a policeman’s face and threatened to kill him.
Inspector Clement Cacho, Acting Commander - CIB
“He was on foot patrol in the Pine Street/Ebony Street area whereby he approached a black in color Cadillac car with California license plate and informed the occupant that he would execute a search on the vehicle for drugs at which time the driver who is of brown complexion exited the vehicle and pointed a firearm at PC Griffith informing him that he loves to kill police officers, not in those words exactly. The driver then got back into the vehicle and sped off.”
That was the first of two attacks on police officers last night and about the sixth incident of flagrant disregard for police officers in two weeks. This morning for the first time – Eastern Division boss Allan Whylie commented on the spate of attacks on his officers.
ACP Allan Whylie,
“We won’t be deterred in what we are doing. We believe in what we are doing. We know we have the law on our side and we will do all that is required within the law to deal with these situations. People cannot continue to challenge the authority of the police are we are out there, we will not be backing away from these people. I have advised my officers to take the necessary precautions and to ensure that necessary backup is there, that they call them whenever they have incidents that we are able to respond promptly.
“People will use opportunities to do crime. They will use opportunities to challenge the law enforcement agencies. They will use whatever opportunity to do whatever they want to do and that is the reason why we are out there. If we are not out there, then of course they will be able to prey upon the society and the public as they want. So as bad as we may be, we are the persons who are facing these people and trying to maintain law and order within the city.”
Wilfred Dixon, who allegedly shot at the police officers, was shot to the right side of his body and back and is currently hospitalized under police guard at the KHMH. Police say that in the area they found a point 38 special revolver with four shells and live round. As for the aggravated assault of Constable David Griffith, he has been unable to identify his attacker.
