The Tribune

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander was in front of the cameras yesterday as he announced that murders were up 13 percent compared to last year – and soon after he was on the ground at another shooting scene with two men injured at Palmdale Plaza.

But among the answers he gave, there was one question that is still waiting for an answer. We will come to that shortly.

First of all, there is the concern over the levels of murder our country is experiencing, to which he promised “all boots will be on the ground”. We were not aware any boots were being spared at present.

He went on to say about the murder rate: “We can’t stop it, but we will try and we will do our best and we can’t do it alone. We need that partnership to work along with us.”

No one group – police or otherwise – should have to do it alone, but we have faced successive years with a murder count above 100 and, heaven forbid, but we are headed that way again.

The commissioner was also on the defensive after concerns were raised by the mother of missing Devin Isaacs.

The 16-year-old went missing four days before a Marco Alert was sent out yesterday to try to find him, and his mother said she was upset that it took that long to send the alert out.

Commissioner Fernander, unwisely, said he was disappointed in the remarks of the concerned mother, and that “there’s two sides of the story”.

He insisted that officers “even went as far as getting footage and checking the area” after Devin was reported missing.

We hope for a safe outcome for Devin – anyone with information is urged to contact the police.

And so we come to the area where there is an unanswered question.

About six weeks ago, on April 9, The Tribune reported that the commissioner had received recommendations from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions concerning the potential criminal prosecution over police killings that received adverse inquest findings within the last year.

These include the deaths of Deangelo Evans, Shanton Forbes and Dino Bain, which were found to be homicide by manslaughter at the Coroner’s court.

Since then, the commissioner has not provided an answer as to what those recommendations were – nor have there been any charges put before the criminal court as a result.

When asked last week about the matter, the commissioner said only to “stand by”.

The mother of Deangelo Evans told The Tribune that the family is tired of waiting. They are tired of standing by. It was 2018 when Deangelo was killed, and now that a Coroner’s court jury has ruled it homicide, the family is wondering why the wait goes on.

Deangelo’s mother highlighted a case with two officers being charged over an alleged theft, saying that they were quickly charged – and wondered why her son’s case was not being dealt with at similar speed.

A conclusion to the matter is important for both sides – family and the officers involved. Until answers are reached, a cloud hangs over the whole matter.

How long must people stand by? That is an answer Commissioner Fernander must still give.