A downtown Kingston vendor had many praises for a police inspector who he said came quickly to his rescue when a police constable assaulted him.

He explained that he was walking when he heard a voice behind him saying "Hey boy, stop deh". He continued walking because he said he did not expect anyone to address him in such a fashion.

"I then heard someone walk up to me and touched me and said, 'Hey boy, you never hear mi a stop you'. When I replied that I am walking on the government road and I don't expect anyone to address me like that, the policeman boxed me.

I opened my hand and shot him one box with all my might. The policeman was about to box me again and I was preparing to box him back. An inspector came up suddenly and ordered the policeman to go back to the station. The inspector told the police constable that he was wrong to approach me like that and was double wrong to have boxed me. "Go where you are going," the inspector told him.

The vendor said he thanked the inspector and went about his business.

"The inspector did the wrong thing," his friend remarked. The inspector should tell you to go to the police station and press charges against the policeman."

disrespect people

The vendor said he was not thinking about having the policeman arrested at that time. He said he was just glad that the inspector intervened and stopped the fight.

"You know the police them these days don't have any manners, they are of the view that everybody is criminal," the vendor said.

"I see how the police disrespect people all the time. Some of them pretend like they are from rich families and love to abuse the poor people for no reason. Look at my case, if anybody had seen the police boxing me in my face they might think I am a thief or a wrongdoer. Some of the police need proper training how to speak to people.

"If the policeman had come up to me and said give me a search, I would have no problem with it. I would give him a search because I am not a thief or criminal. He is out of order to come and box me. I think if the inspector was not watching the incident, the police would want to lock me up. So you see that is how innocent people get lock up many times," the vendor said.

"I still believe the inspector should tell you to go and have that policeman arrested for boxing you because he is very out of order," his friend said.

If you had made a complaint against the policeman then he would be charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. If the policeman was convicted he would have lost his job. A policeman who is convicted of an offence can no longer serve in the Jamaica Constabulary Force.