And while community policing is a part of the PUP manifesto, so is the promise to, quote, "Disband the GSU, demilitarize the police and introduce more effective measures to suppress gangs and gang-related activity."
Well, since yesterday, that campaign speak has gone from disband to re-brand.
Here's how he put it yesterday - underscoring, again, the community policing bit - but finding a way for the supposedly re-branded GSU to work within that model:
Reporter
"What is the future of that unit?"
Hon. Kareem Musa - Minister of Home Affairs & New Growth Industries
"Well, the future, on a whole, of the police department is to be more community-oriented, and one of the aspects of community-based policing involves having a different approach in dealing with citizens. So, while it is that the Gang Suppression Unit may have in its possession important intelligence about where guns are being hidden, about where drugs are being stashed, it is important that they go about it the proper way, [the] respectful way, having respect for our citizens. It does not mean that you go breaking down doors and abusing citizens of our country, and in many instances, we are talking law-abiding citizens. I have many cases as an attorney that I have done, against the GSU in particular, where they abuse their authority. And so, that type of excessive force, we have to do away with. Part of our manifesto plan was to disband the GSU, and so, we are going to be looking at that as a cabinet very carefully, and certainly rebranding it, because like I said, it's very important the type of intelligence that comes to these units. But, it is how you go about approaching people in a respectful manner."
