When an offender is told he is under arrest that offender has every responsibility to submit to being arrested and have his day in court.
If the officer is wrong, the arrestee has access to civil remedies under the laws.
One thing is certain and should never be forgotten !!!!!
When you decide to resist arrest you open yourself up to whatever is coming your way and you alone bear that burden.
Simply put the officer has a right to arrest you if he believes you are committing an offense. You do not have the right to resist or fight with the officer.
He has the right under the law to use force to gain your compliance.
Slapping away at officers and moving aggressively at officers trying to make an arrest is tolerated only in Jamaica.
I write daily imploring officers to put down this kind of behavior rather quickly.
My only problem with what the officer did was that he did not proceed to cuff him as soon as he was subdued.
It was 1982 I was a young constable at beat and foot, two of my colleagues were mobbed at South Parade, I went to their assistance, one woman grabbed me by my uniform shirt and ripped the buttons apart in the ensuing mêlée.
I went to work with my baton and in short order, total order was restored, marched six people all holding each other’s clothes to Central.
From that day onward until I left Beat and Foot whenever they saw me coming they parted like the red sea to Moses.
I will move mountains for you, I signed on to ensure your safety but if put your hands on me and you will regret it. No Police officer signed up to be assaulted or killed doing their job.
I have been calling for these non-lethal tools to be given to the police and for supervisors to ensure that officers on the beat be in possession of them at all times.
This kind of behavior simply has to stop. The Police MUST have the right to make arrests regardless of the offense, you do not get to fight a police officer and just walk away as if nothing happened.