Lawyer Jomo Thomas has called for Commissioner of Police Enville Williams to be relieved of his duty following recent statements made after a triple homicide in Kingstown. During a discussion Boom 106.9, Thomas expressed his surprise and disapproval of the Commissioner’s claim that the “old playbook is closed” in response to the murders of three men last Friday.
Thomas described the Commissioner’s statement as asinine, questioning the logic of abandoning an operational playbook so soon after assuming leadership.
According to Thomas, Commissioner Williams took command of the police force on October 4, 2023, which was less than three months after the country experienced its worst public execution where five men were killed in the Harbour Club area.
Thomas argued that if the police high command already had the mandate to solve crime, it is nonsensical to suggest a new playbook is suddenly required after the latest killings. He specifically pointed to the Commissioner’s use of the phrase “crushing legality” and the assertion that the law does not need to be broken to break criminals as rhetorical flourishes that do not change the reality of the situation.
Thomas stated that the Commissioner’s specific comment about the old playbook being closed was enough justification for his removal, saying,
“I think that just for that point alone I think that that commissioner should be relieved of it too”. He further criticised the tactical failures of the police, noting that Kingstown is a valley with limited exit points that should be easily controlled with choke points.
Thomas suggested that the current police leadership lacks the necessary operational and tactical strategy to prevent criminals from escaping the capital after high-profile shootings.
Thomas believes the police force currently suffers from a lack of public respect and is instead feared due to “rough house brutal tactics” and a history of unpunished misconduct. He argued that the Commissioner’s new approach will fail to gain public cooperation or “buy in” as long as citizens are treated aggressively by officers.
Thomas says that the “see something, say something” culture cannot take root until there is a shift from fear to respect and the implementation of a genuine witness protection program.
