I Feared For My Life’, Says Ex-Cop After Being Pepper-Sprayed By Constable
In this screen grab from the video, retired senior ex-cop Altemorth ‘Parro’ Campbell wipes his eyes after he was pepper-sprayed by a constable during a traffic stop.
Retired deputy superintendent of police Altemorth ‘Parro’ Campbell has detailed his harrowing pepper-spraying by a constable during a traffic stop on Wednesday, saying during the incident he became fearful for his life and that of his son.
Campbell, a retired crime fighter with 40 years and seven months’ service in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) was stopped on Molynes Road near the Waltham Park Road intersection, allegedly for a traffic violation.
The constable demanded his driver’s licence and Campbell replied saying he did not have it.
The ex-cop was then ordered by the constable to step out of the vehicle and when Campbell refused, he was pepper-sprayed.
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WATCH: Retired senior police officer Altamont ‘Parro’ Campbell had a painful encounter with a traffic cop after he was pepper-sprayed for disobeying the constable’s order to get out of his vehicle to be arrested. The incident happened on Molynes Road, St Andrew – Amateur video
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12:42 AM – Jun 7, 2019
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“It was the worst experience ever,” Campbell told RJR’s Emily Shields on the talk show programme Hotline this morning.
“I was blind for an hour,” he said, adding that he was overcome by fear but had to remain composed especially since his son was in the car.
Campbell also said, because he felt threatened by the cop he decided against coming out of the vehicle.
“At one stage mi did tink seh shot woulda fire,” Campbell said.
He said his son, who was seated in the front of the vehicle and who recorded the incident, has been traumatised and was also affected by the pepper-spray.
“He’s an asthmatic person,” Campbell said, adding that the child has not been doing well but had to sit an exam a day after the ordeal.
“You can just imagine my position as a father?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, Campbell said the incident was regrettable but he understands that it was an extension of the problem of society.
“The society is like a swamp and we’re looking for the cleanest dirty one to be a police, to be a soldier etc,” said Campbell.
He has so far visited a doctor and will be seeing a specialist soon.
The retired crime fighter said he will today provide a statement to the Inspectorate of the Constabulary and he has learned that the Independent Commission of Investigations has also interest in the matter.
But what happened in the first place?
Campbell said he was stopped some time after overtaking a stationary vehicle and another that was making a left turn near Tarrant Drive on Molynes Road.
He said the constable told him that he had committed a traffic violation and he disagreed.
According to Campbell the cop demanded his driver’s license and when he told him he did not have it, that’s when he told him that he was going to arrest him.
Meanwhile, also speaking on Hotline, retired Senior Superintendent Newton Amos said he was appalled that the JCF high command has remained silent almost 48 hours after the incident.
The police inspectorate has only said a probe has been launched.
Amos said from his observation, several JCF policies were breached.
Among them, the attire guideline, the use of force and public interaction policies.
WHAT THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT SAYS
PART IV — Licensing of Drivers Restriction
Driving Without Permit or Driver’s License
- Every holder of a permit or driver’s license who is —
(a) driving a motor vehicle on a road;
(b) accompanying another person who is learning to drive a motor vehicle on a road; or
(c) learning to drive a motor vehicle on a road
shall have the permit or license in the motor vehicle and on being so required by a constable in uniform or who shows his identifying documents as a constable, produce his permit or driver’s license, or such other document constituting evidence thereof for examination by the constable.
(4) A person who contravenes this subsection commits an offence.
So what now? Regular citizens face those type of treatment everyday. Bc you ah retired cop , you island press tour. You want superintendent to respond to you with swiftness like you ah god. The both of you were wrong. You didn’t comply when asked to step of of your vehicle and you got a aggressive when the cop pulled on his pepper spray, warning him if him spray . You neva fear fi yo life den. #no special treatment roun here
Karma has a way of showing up.
Interesting, we are not going to talk about the bad driving. Anyway I feel that karma is working .
Hhmmm Karma maybe. Have you ever peppersprayed anyone yet retired DSP? And a you did hide the gun? Mean say you money nuff..squaddi look like him about to get drop soon.
What goes around comes around. FADA GOD NAW SLEEP
That mi seh tuh Kerri, him was a bully cop and him just a get a dose a Karma. There is a video for all to see and him still out here lying through him gum, see one whole heap a possibly innocent people get shot/killed in Half-Way-Tree yesterday and you can bet no investigation will follow and any innocent victims will not be compensated
Corrupt police. That’s why him son sound gay.
Ok thanks for ur 40 plus years in the service, did u forget that u committed a traffic offence which is why u were stopped the officer asked u for ur license, u didnt have it officer asked u to step out of ur car 3 times, u even open u car door like u wanted to confront him, 40yrs of service does not make u above the law,
Had u followed instruction u wudnt have been privy to a dose of pepper spray im sure u have used on many other citizens whilst u were serving in the jcf, dry u tears quit acting like a bitch an u nar get no compensation, keep it moving kmt
U BLOOD CLAAT U..AFTA U FREN KILL KAJHEEL MAIS…OHHH A U HIDE THE GUN..FUCKER. HOLD SPRAY EENA U RASS. AN U GOT UR SON SIDE A U…LAKKA FLOWERS. U SON NO KNO WA U!DO
Where did you get this information that Altamont ‘Parro’ Campbell hide the “smoking” gun in the X6 Murder case? I think you are relying on hearsay, since there was no official information release to the public regarding the missing firearm. Why would the X6 killer have to give a policeman this gun to hide, when he could simply destroy the weapon or throw into the ocean/river or a hundred other places or completely dismantle the gun to into pieces?
How would anyone know what happen to that gun apart from the killer or if he gave it to the Altamont, who would divulge that information. Your silly comment make absolutely no sense.
Dats y mi no say nutten on him rass BEHALF for mi kno SEH IT NO INNOCENT. ONLY A MATTER OF TIME WE WOULD HEAR OF HIS DIRTY DEEDS NAME RUNG A BELL…COCKDICE. U GOT UR SON and most likely a fat sum to hide patrick gun MRS MAIS SON DEAD
Next time get out of the car. Simple
Dis WANT CROWD MET mi not YOUNG but fram mi born….WA HIM NAME?? ALTEMORT WTH WHAT WAS IT SUPPOSE TO BE?? MET CAN U LINK IT TO ANYTHING?? A COUNTRY HIM FROM PLZZZZ ..BETTER DEM DID SAY ALTERMOUTH…THEY CALL HIM PARRO FOR DEM COULDN’T MANAGE. TARRA DEH NAME A TALL TALL
Fucking lucky. Should just a get rass proper spray
Must uphold the law. U no above the law. Fucked. The cop no kno him a who. Whoiii me want some a d pepper spray to go spray me rass ex. LOL
reminds me of the senator who got the speeding ticket on highway 2000 then making the useless argument that ticket is unconstitutional because highway was not gezetted, the rules apply to everybody/anybody else except them and theirs.