WATCH: Douglas says youth in constituency unfairly targeted by cops
-urges PM Holness to intervene
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kari Douglas, councillor of the Trafalgar Division in St Andrew, has urged Prime Minister Andrew Holness to have serious conversations with those in charge of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to combat what she describes as unjust targeting of the youth by members of the police force.
Speaking at the Young Jamaica Area Council One Youth Conference at the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) headquarters on Saturday, Douglas said the ‘targets’ do not spell good for the Government.
“They are targeting the youths dem, Prime Minister Holness. There are several members who are targeting young people against a background of partisan politics,” she said, insinuating that some members of the JCF could potentially be working on behalf of opposing parties who want the Holness-led government to “look bad.”
“It is alleged that there are members who are even on the payroll of some other people, and because they want to make your government look bad, your leadership look bad, there are targets. So I am saying this to you publicly and personally so that whenever the opportunity arises, Prime Minister, and you have communications with the heads of the JCF, you can start to address those issues.”
Douglas has had her fair share of run-ins with law enforcers in recent times. In February 2021, an encounter stemming from an operation in Swallowfield in her Division, left the JLP councillor facing assault and obstruction charges.
READ: Probe launched into councillor’s arrest for allegedly breaching curfew
It is reported that Douglas was among a group of people at a gathering in the community at about 8:30 pm, which was half-hour into the national curfew which began at 8:00 pm at the time. She reportedly used her vehicle to block the police while they were arresting a man who was part of the gathering. Douglas has, however, denied the claims and instead pointed fingers at a lawman whom she said attacked her. She claimed that she was being targeted for political reasons.
Related story: Kari Douglas to return to court March 4 in assault case
