Latoya Grindley, Gleaner Writer

Vincent Case at the funeral of a slain police officer.

Sixty-year-old Vincent Case has spent decades of his life taking care of members of the island's security forces, in life and even in their death.

He has the responsibility of providing welfare assistance to teams deployed to areas where intense operations are being conducted. He also switches roles when duty calls, transporting the bodies of slain police officers to their final resting places.

Mr. Case's job as a welfare assistant is to transport food items to colleagues. Having this job means that many times he has to venture into 'war' zones, which, according to him, is as scary as it sounds.

Scared at first

"At the first attempt, I was scared, but after all that I just say I will just continue to put my faith in the Lord and believe that the Lord will take me through," he said.

But there are other drawbacks to this job.

Having to go into these extreme situations sometimes exposes him to the gruesome deaths of colleagues who die violently on the job.

"I go all 'bout, Mountain View, Jones Town, Denham Town. You name it, I have been there, but trust me, the time when they killed the CCN officer in Mountain View, I was there live and direct. That was a difficult one to deal with."

Losing a loved one can be heart wrenching, but luckily for most, this doesn't happen frequently.

But when you're part of the security forces, it has almost become part of the routine.

And whenever the security force loses one of its members, Mr. Case puts on his other hat.

Painful experience

Vincent Case - photos by Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

The painful experience of having to transport the body of someone he once knew, is a journey he has to embark on regularly.

"It's touching, especially because you know it could be you too. I come to tears sometimes. I just calling on the gunmen to put down the guns," he said.

"I remember years ago, five policemen were killed in one incident in Westmoreland and I had to lay all five caskets in the church. It was the most awful thing to see them lined out in the church."

One wonders why Mr. Case continues in this line of work, even after 30 years.

"If you give me any job, I don't want it. If I should live my life over, give me the dead, I have no problem with them," he said, grinning.