The latest fatal police shooting in Saint Lucia has caused human rights activist Felicia Dujon to voice concern about the use of lethal force by Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) officers.
According to her, while police officers must maintain public safety, they should also justify using deadly force.
On Saturday, July 20th, officers fatally shot Marigot resident Maxwell Leo, alias ‘Hennessy’.
Police said they were responding to information regarding a suspected robbery and disclosed that the deceased was on bail for a previous firearm offense.
“Police officers are tasked with upholding the law and ensuring public safety, but this must not come at the expense of basic human rights,” Felicia Dujon told St. Lucia Times.
She said there should be a clear protocol and stringent training to guide officers regarding when lethal force is justified and a last resort.
Dujon would like the police commissioner to be transparent about the training and guidelines that dictate officers’ actions in potentially lethal situations.
The human rights advocate believes the public deserves to know under what circumstances lethal force is deemed necessary.
Dujon questioned whether fatal police shootings are in self-defence or other factors are involved, such as frustration with the spike in violent crimes.
“What the police are actually supposed to do is to arrest the person, take the person in, and charge the person. When you kill someone, you have not given the person due recourse, because the person does not even know what they’re charged for, and that is not the role of the police officer, ” she stated.
Dujon supported establishing an independent agency to investigate police-involved fatal shootings.
She believes this would ensure impartiality and foster greater trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.
