‘Something has clearly gone awry’
By NEWSDAY STAFF Monday, February 25 2013
Edison Burroughs, son of former Commissioner of Police Randolph Burroughs is admonishing the authorities to press on with measures to fight crime and not be distracted by claims that the infamous Flying Squad was reorganised.In a letter, the younger Burroughs told National Security Minister Jack Warner and acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, “this controversy is a distraction that can only stymie your efforts to improve the image and well being of the Police Service, its officers and their ability to reduce crime.”
“You are the ones that hold public office and are now in service to the citizens of this country,” he said.
In his letter, which was obtained by Newsday, Burroughs said it was with a “sense of deep sadness and disappointment” that he and members of his family have had to witness the current imbroglio between the Minister of National Security, Commissioner of Police and retired Inspector Mervyn Cordner, a former member of the “Flying Squad” “For yet another time the name of the “Flying Squad” and its founder the late Commissioner of Police Randolph Burroughs has become fodder for the media and its commentators,” he said.
According to Edison Burroughs, not all the reports on the original Flying Squad were accurate.
“Proper investigations would reveal that the Flying Squad was formed during the tenure of Former Commissioner of Police Eustace Bernard somewhere around the mid 1970’s to investigate and act on reports of violence and terrorism against the state at the time. Burroughs who was then an Assistant Superintendent was given the mandate to form and lead this specialised unit and was the one credited with giving the unit its name after the famed Flying Squad in the UK at the time. “The unit was disbanded in January 1984 by Burroughs and the members of the squad were deployed to different divisions and units of the Police Service to support and bring their experience to combat the changing landscape of the crime scene. They were not disbanded as reported because of charges brought against Burroughs by the State. In fact charges referred were brought against the former Commissioner in 1986,” Edison Burroughs said in his statement.
He spoke of the achievements of the squad during its existence and noted that some in society appeared to be unaware or chose to forget the sacrifice of the officers.
“I am not in any way advocating that the Squad was perfect and allegations of misconduct against its former leader and members of the Squad have been well ventilated in the public domain over the years although mostly unsubstantiated or proven,” he said.
Burroughs acknowledged that some of the officers of the original Flying Squad “had paid the ultimate price,” some losing their lives while other were injured and permanently disabled. He also noted that his father, a highly decorated officer, had to face the humiliation and ignominy of being arrested and charged while serving as a Commissioner on trumped up charges brought against him by the State, arising out of allegations made in the infamous Scott Drug Report.
“He faced the courts and won his cases but his dignity and public image were forever damaged to the extent that he was forced to retire from a profession that he dearly loved and an organisation that he gave his life for,” the younger Burroughs said.
He also advised retired Sgt Cordner, that as honourable as his intent was to reorganised the Flying Squad to assist the police in its fight against crime, “something has clearly gone awry.”
