WESTERN BUREAU:

A constable of the Area One Flying Squad was taken into custody by his colleagues in the wee hours of yesterday morning in relation to four illegal firearms in his possession.

Reports are that about 1:00 a.m. yesterday, the constable, who was recently interdicted after discharging his firearm during a wake held in honour of a fallen colleague, called for assistance in detaining two men whom he observed in the Bogue Village area acting suspiciously.

However, on their arrival, the police proceeded to search the lawman's car where the guns were found.

The Gleaner understands that apart from his licensed 9mm pistol, the cop had a home-made handgun, a Smith & Wesson .40 pistol, and two Smith & Wesson revolvers, one of which had been dismantled.

The policeman, however, claimed that he was tipped off about the whereabouts of the weapons. He further claimed that he was on his way to hand the guns over to the Freeport Police Station when he saw the two men acting suspiciously, accosted them and called for assistance.

The policeman, along with the two men, one from Bogue Village and the other from the neighbouring parish of Hanover, was then taken into custody.

Dirty cops

In a recent article published by The Gleaner, Superintendent Steve McGregor said that some members of the St. James police were involved in criminal activities.

"It would be foolhardy to think that there won't be some police who are involved, even intimately involved in 'bandooloo' or as much as criminal activity, but you need to have the evidence to take action against them," the divisional commander had said.

"There are persons out there that will call, claiming to have proof of the involvement of members of the force in criminal activities, but when you invite them to come in with the evidence for us to take action, they refuse," he added.