Quote Originally Posted by Kahuna3 View Post
Last week while walking the beach I came upon a patrol of four JDF officers slowly walking south along the beach. They were 'all business', complete with hard looks, body armor, assault rifles and sidearms. I can tell you that they got the attention of the locals who frequent and ply the beach. The ganga sellers scattered like fluff before the wind and then snuck out after the patrol had passed and watched them walk down the beach; they were awestruck.

So, even that little display of force, a presence, had a big impact. If done more frequently word would get around that 'the cops are on the beach'. Similar patrols around the west end would have similar impacts.
I know I'm probably a bit too pacifist at times, but I get a bit uncomfortable with that much firepower as a show of force in a public area. I get it that one should not bring a knife to a gun fight, but there is no reason to host the gun fight in the first place.

I would think that the JDF presence with secured sidearms may have been sufficient, but what concerns me is the possibility that this amount of firepower was deemed necessary.

I hope that as the local constabulary, police and JDF feel their way through this "new normal", that a better balance is found.