A high-ranking member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force is suggesting that the country is still indebted to the security forces, for the conduct of the May 2010 police-military operations in the West Kingston community of Tivoli Gardens.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Glenmore Hinds, during his testimony at the West Kingston commission of enquiry, said the operations not only facilitated the arrest of drug kingpin Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, but allowed the security forces to bring back Tivoli Gardens as a part of Jamaica.

DCP Hinds said the nation has done the citizens of Tivoli Gardens a dis-service.

He said for a long time residents of Tivoli Gardens were largely ignored when they called-out for assistance.

According to the deputy commissioner, this allowed the gang propaganda to hold sway and cemented in their minds, that they are not apart of Jamaica.

DCP Hinds said this was also one of the reasons the residents embraced Coke as a noble citizen.

In addition, he said this allowed residents of the West Kingston community to establish their own system of governance, which a majority of them subscribed to.

DCP Hinds said the 2010 operations allowed the residents to see themselves as citizens of Jamaica with structures that they too can subscribe to.

More than 70 persons were killed in the operations.

The enquiry was established to probe, among other things, the conduct of the security forces during the operations.