Shoot to kill, Jamaica National Security Minister tells cops
(Jamaica Gleaner) - National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang is urging members of the security forces to shoot to kill when confronted by armed gunmen, noting that the country was spending too much to treat criminals at public-health facilities.
Chang, who Jamaicans have rated the worst-performing Cabinet minister and have expressed little confidence in his ability to get the country’s crime situation under control in recent RJRGLEANER polls, made the comments on Thursday as he broke ground for the construction of the new Frome Police Station in Westmoreland.
“Any time a man takes up a gun after a police officer, I expect Commissioner [Antony Anderson] to train them [so that] when him fire, he must not miss,” the national security minister said.
There may be fatal shootings because man shoots guns after them. I not telling any policeman not to fire back, and I said it here in Westmoreland. I am not sending any ambulance out there either,” said Chang, noting that gunmen must be prepared to face the consequences of their actions.
“I don’t want him to come give any trouble to the hospital. I am not in that business. You go to hospital, it cost us $10 million to save him life. I am not into that. When criminal see police come, he must surrender,” he said, driving home the point.