Email

Print

And that's because the BDFA, which is the event organizer, bypassed Eastern Division command - as so many do - and negotiated directly with police officers - which is frowned upon but widely practiced. The compol discussed the problem:

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"There is no way on earth would we have allowed, three police officers to work game of such magnitude where there are lone gang gang members."

"And so you will see that there is increased police operations, in the Saint Martin DePorres area. And that operation is going to continue for a very lengthy period of time, because we want to make sure that we have things in place, to prevent retaliation, even up to the funeral and after the funeral. I've also advised the mediation team, brother Nuri and brother Footie that we're not going to engage into no mediation at this time, Because we don't want to bring the group together. Tensions are extremely high, and that might result in further escalation of issues. So we will put aside mediation for now and allow the police to work. And when we believe that heads have cooled down, then we'll see if we can bring them to the mediation table."

"And certainly there is some breakdown in terms of the police officers working at such a game. I can say to you that I was not aware of that game being played. And, I also check with Mister Romero. And he said that he was not aware of the game."

"We are seeing that there is a trend where people are putting together sporting activities, and I would say in good faith to be able to bring rival groups together as a way of doing intervention through sports. But instead of applying to the commissioner of police, for security, they find their own police officers and they get those police officers to provide security for them and many a times, the level of security that they're getting for these events is not adequate."

Jules Vasquez
"What was the failing in this case, who had the obligation to realize, okay, we have gang elements It's a night game. It's a Friday night. A lot of bad things can happen. Whose responsibility was it?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"The officers whom, would have gotten the call to work the event ought to have said to the organizers, I cannot work this event without you seeking permission first from the commissioner or the local commander."

"Certainly his response would be not less than ten police. They don't want to pay for ten police. So they would go behind him and go to the officers on the lower level officers to get them to work for them and then let us get three."

Jules Vasquez
"Was Mr. Gamboa the contracting officer? Since I see SPU were there."

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Mr. Gamboa is saying no, that on that particular night he was not notified. But he also admitted that on two other occasions he was contacted and he had worked there. And I had said to Mr. Gamboa that as a senior officer, he too would have had an obligation to inform either myself or Mr. Romero or refer to people them to contact myself or Mr. Romero for us to decide how much police officers would have to work the event."