the six buildings in the yard, claiming that they were in search of bandits.

“All the police doing now is breeding hate,” a still traumatised grandmother told TnT Mirror. Hers was the home they entered.

Mirror was told that the behaviour of the officers left much to be desired as residents who objected to the manner in which they entered the apartment felt the full weight of their tongue.

A young mother who was at home at the time with her children, tried to prevent the police officers from entering the family’s home.

“But we were verbally abused and told that we (police) is the law,” the daughter explained.

“They told us they could enter homes anywhere and anytime without warrants.”

The cops came up empty-handed.

Others who witnessed the late Thursday (April 20) afternoon mayhem further told Mirror that all the officers did that day was harass and intimidate the young people in the yard.

Reports are that around 5.30 p.m., cops, four of East Indian and one of African descent all dressed in civilian attire, appeared in an unmarked vehicle (registration number taken) from “out of nowhere”.

“They never came in search of bandits, they just came to terrorise the people.”

She said it was a common practice of certain officers to park the car in a nearby street and “just run through people house. We still want to know on what grounds they had for targeting our house to look for bandits.

“Among people in the house at the time were a six-year-old schoolgirl and her two-month-old twin sisters.

“Imagine if a gun went off,” she questioned.

The family remains shaken by what went down that day.

“The time has come for our policemen to approach this subject of policing in a different manner if they want young people to like them.

“All they doing right now is breeding pure hate for them (police) in the minds of every young man and woman in this country. Saying that even adults had become fed-up of the officers’ attitude, they have vowed not to co-operate with the police in information-gathering.

“They not getting help from me,” said another woman. They complained that it was only some days before this incident, three bandits had stormed one of the apartments demanding money and jewellery.

“We called police, they never came.”

Mirror learnt that the victim was stabbed in the back during that robbery.

Two of the bandits managed to escape and the residents held on to one.

“Because there was no police intervention, they took their own action and beat the thief,” she explained.

“You know the police turn around and charge five young men with assault? They don’t ever come when you need them,” she lamented.

“When they do show up, however, is to illtreat you. They have no respect for man, woman or child, they do poor people what they want and expect you to join them in fighting crime. They are the real criminals.”

“Commissioner Trevor Paul need to re-train some of these officers if we are to make a dent in crime,” she ended.