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“We had an armoured vehicle and other vehicles and we left
for Central Police Station where we would be able to get
other officers to increase our contingent to about 50
persons.”
4.16.
ACP Rose instructed the members of the contingent to clear
blockages leading to Denham Town Police Station where their colleagues were
being attacked, and to secure firearms, prisoners and their colleagues who were
under siege.
4.17.
They left in a mobile convoy from Central Police Station, towards
South Parade and thence towards the West Kingston community. ACP Rose and
CoP Ellington were in a vehicle behind the convoy. ACP Rose said –
“I saw a number of blockages of major streets – West
Street; West Queen Street; Water Lane. On Industrial
Terrace there was a barrage of gunfire coming from Tivoli
Gardens and the Denham Town area near the Primary
School. It sounded as though rifles were being fired. They
were directed towards us, that is to say, towards Marcus
Garvey Drive and Industrial Terrace. There was also gunfire
from the vicinity of May Pen Cemetery. We had to turn back
from Industrial Terrace. We could not clear the barricades.
We had Intelligence that some of the barricades were
booby-trapped. I heard on my radio that the team that was
on its way to Denham Town police station could not proceed
because of the intensity of the gunfire. The Commissioner
and I were going from a different location than the team.
They went from Spanish Town Road whereas we
approached from Industrial Terrace. This was about
10.30 a.m.”
4.18.
ACP Rose said that they withdrew after seeing the situation and
returned to Central Police Station. The team was debriefed and ACP Rose
returned to Harmon Barracks. JCF was able to rescue personnel at Hannah
Town and Darling Street Police Stations. As ACP Rose said, “we were able to get
out critical assets and prisoners”.