Police are legally permitted to use “reasonable force”, including deadly force in some situations, when arresting suspects, says Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Delroy Chuck.

Speaking last Friday at the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Policy Development and Estate Planning Forum at the Ocean Coral Spring Resort in Trelawny, Chuck defended the role of the police in maintaining law and order while urging citizens to comply with lawful arrests and pursue remedies through the courts if they believe their rights have been violated.

“When the police say you’re under arrest, you must surrender,” Chuck said. “You cannot fight. If you resist, you will be charged for a second offence — resisting arrest. So from the moment the police tell you that you are under arrest, surrender right away and say, ‘I surrender, but I will see you in court.’”