Nationwide 90FM reports that Councillor Donovan Samuels, who represents the Tivoli Gardens Division, has strongly condemned what he describes as improper conduct by law enforcement officers following an incident in which MP for West Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, was pepper-sprayed on Tuesday.
The councillor’s criticism centres on the circumstances surrounding the pepper-spraying, which occurred at the same scene as a separate police shooting in Tivoli Gardens. According to the report, Samuels raised concerns about how the police handled the situation and questioned whether the actions taken against the MP were justified or carried out with appropriate restraint.
Samuels characterised the incident as unacceptable, highlighting the broader community impact when police operations result in harm or escalation beyond what residents consider necessary. While the report focuses primarily on the pepper-spraying of the MP, it also places the event within the context of an active and tense policing operation tied to the earlier shooting. This link is important because it suggests that, amid the chaos and heightened risk at the scene, the boundaries of police conduct may have been crossed.
The report frames the councillor’s condemnation as a public call for accountability and proper policing standards. By speaking out, Samuels is effectively urging authorities to explain the officers’ actions and to clarify the reasons behind the use of pepper spray on an elected representative during the operation. His comments also signal concern that such incidents may worsen public trust in law enforcement, particularly in communities that are already familiar with frequent security interventions.
Although the provided text does not offer detailed information about what the MP was doing at the time of the pepper-spraying or whether the MP was directly involved in the shooting incident, it clearly states that the pepper-spraying happened while events were unfolding at the location of the police shooting. That detail shapes the councillor’s argument, implying that the action taken against McKenzie occurred during a period of high police activity where extra caution and adherence to lawful procedure should have been observed.
In the report, the incident is described as involving a real-time police response in Tivoli Gardens. The presence of an MP at such a scene is often associated with civic engagement or efforts to understand what is happening, and the councillor appears to view the pepper-spraying as a failure of appropriate discretion. His condemnation underscores a demand for respect for public officials and for measured conduct even under stressful circumstances.
The story also reflects the wider pattern of public statements by community leaders following security-related incidents. When law enforcement actions trigger backlash, local representatives frequently use their platforms to call for investigations, transparency, and clearer guidelines to prevent future occurrences. In this case, Councillor Donovan Samuels has positioned himself as a direct critic of the specific conduct he believes occurred, rather than limiting his remarks to general concerns about policing.
The report does not indicate any immediate disciplinary action or formal outcome as a result of Samuels’ comments. However, it does establish that the councillor is publicly challenging the behaviour of lawmen, drawing attention to a concrete event: the pepper-spraying of MP Desmond McKenzie during the aftermath or ongoing circumstances of a police shooting.
As the incident has been reported as occurring on Tuesday, the controversy may prompt further scrutiny from police oversight bodies or ignite questions from other political figures about the circumstances and justification for the use of pepper spray. Public pressure often grows when elected officials are involved, since it can raise concerns about equal treatment and whether operational confusion contributed to the alleged misuse of force.
In summary, Nationwide 90FM reports that Tivoli Gardens Division Councillor Donovan Samuels condemned what he called improper conduct by lawmen after MP Desmond McKenzie was pepper-sprayed on Tuesday at the scene of a police shooting in Tivoli Gardens, calling attention to questions about police restraint and accountability. Source: Nationwide90FM.
Nationwide90FM: Councillor for the Tivoli Gardens Division, Donovan Samuels, has condemned what he describes as the improper conduct by lawmen after MP for West Kingston, Desmond McKenzie was pepper-sprayed on Tuesday. The incident occurred on the scene of a police shooting in the Tivoli. #breaking
— @NationwideRadio May 1, 2026