The community and the police department are still reeling from the sudden loss of police Communications Officer Fitzroy Yearwood to a stroke.
For the commissioner it's even deeper than that - he and Yearwood were young cops together in the CIU - and it's the commissioner who brought him back as public relations officer.
Today, the commissioner said he was doing his best with the doctors and prating for a miracle for his friends, but, int he end, Fitzroy's death was unpreventable:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I was in constant dialogue with her as well as other doctors to see what, if anything could have been done to save Fitzroy. I was told that due to the severity of his illness that there was little to nothing could have been done and we just have to pray. And so we prayed, but at the end of the day God took him home and who are we to question him, he knows best. Perhaps the good Lord needs a PR officer beside him to communicate with him, so we will see the good messages that will be coming from the Lord through Fitzroy. He will remain in our hearts, in our minds for many years to come and we will always honour and cherish the memories we have of him."
The Commissioner also spoke about his professional relationship with Yearwood as a communicator:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"When I became the commissioner of police, I saw the need to have someone who can be a good intermediary between the police and the media and I could not have thought of anyone better than Fitzroy. He had that charisma and that touch that the media loved about him. I know at times yes you have your differences like with another relationship; you do have your differences at time. But, he was always one who is always willing to facilitate the media. Sometime I would see late at night when something happened, he would post in the media blog and brief you all. Sometimes I would call and say Fitzroy why would you brief the media so late at night. I said leave that for the morning. He said, boss I just want the media to know what is happening and I said okay Fitzroy, no problem. But that was the type of person he was."
