Dear Sir,

Having been a police officer for more than 20 years, 16 of which were in Bermuda, I feel I must stand up to those who think the police should be the source of blame for every incident such as what occurred outside the House of Assembly gates on December 2.

To those two MPs who were outspoken against the use of pepper spray, I would ask if they have ever been in a situation where a vicious, angry mob is confronting you, spewing out dirty, filthy language, spitting, stamping on your feet, palming you in the chest and calling you everything from a pig to a dog, hoping to make it confrontational.

Well, have you? I doubt it.

Did you even go there to witness it? I doubt it.

Well, I have been in a couple of situations like that. It is very frightening. A leading human psychologist said that fear often precedes anger when a human is in fear of their personal wellbeing. I’ll bet those guys felt the same, and l don’t blame them for using the pepper spray.

It is high time that Bermudians, MPs, unions and church ministers recognise and respect their police officers in this island. Get off their backs and support them.

By your present attitudes, you are setting a deplorable attitude to our citizens, not forgetting schoolchildren.

If you want your children to grow up in a safe and happy society, my wish is that we start supporting the police to make it so.

DAVID GARLAND