The Gleaner NA Specialty Edition

THE MONTHLY GLEANER | OCTOBER 11 - NOVEMBER 10, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 5 George Ruddock Gleaner Writer LONDON: F ORMERMet Police Superintendent Leroy Logan, MBE, hosted a launch party for the paperback version of his award-winning book, Closing Ranks: My Life As A Cop , at the Night Owl bar and restaurant in north London on Friday, September 17, be- fore a gathering of family, friends and well-wishers. The evening had a party atmosphere as it included a cabaret performance by soul singer Lee John, accompanied by a two-piece band, performing some of his popular hits, including Body Talk, Just an Illusion and the crowd favour- ite, Police and Thieves. Leroy Logan then took the stage for a sit-down interview with award-winning international jour- nalist Nadine Drummond, in which Logan gave an insight into his career history with the Metropolitan Police, his activism within the force which led him to become a founder of the National Black Police Association, and his charitable work after retiring to empower and motivate young black people. During the hour-long interview, Logan also gave the audience some interesting and candid recollections of how he was approached by film di- rector Steve McQueen, who had read the book and decided to adapt it for television as part of his BBC Small Axe series. Logan said: “When I met up with Steve McQueen to discuss plans for the film, it was like a job interview. He was very focused, and if anything didn’t add up he would push you until he got the answer.” The film, Red,White and Blue , which was aired on BBC TV last year, went on to win accolades at the Golden Globe in America and the BAFTA Awards in London earlier this year. Logan said: “The last 12 months have been amazing for me, as I didn’t realise the book would have had such an impact internationally. The autobi- ography was about my journey as a black police officer in a predominantly white institution, but that journey is reflective of every black person who faces similar challenges in any white establishment.” Logan thanked a number of peo- ple and colleagues from the Met, who were in the audience, who had help to inspire him to write the book. Among those present were Rev Rose Hudson- Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover; Bevan Powell, MBE, a former Met police of- ficer who was a co-founder with Logan of the Black Police Association; and Martin Forde, QC, independent ad- viser on theWindrush Compensation Scheme. Born in London to Jamaican parents, Logan joined the London Police Force in 1983, having previously worked as a research scientist. He was inspired to join the police force after witnessing two officers assault his father, Kenneth, who went on to successfully sue the Met Police for excessive force and wrongful arrest. While serving as chairman of the National Black Police Association, he was involved in the Stephen Lawrence enquiry in the late 1990s, and the inves- tigation into the murder of schoolboy Damilola Taylor in 2000. Logan was made an MBE in 2001 for his contribution to policing, and retired in 2013 after 30 years’ service. He remains an executive member of the National Black Police Association and a founder mem- ber of the Black Police Association Charitable Trust. He now devotes his time to youth projects and has helped to establish the social justice charity Voyage, which aims to empower marginal- ised black young people and pro- vide them with self-awareness and motivation. Closing Ranks: My Life As A Cop is available on Amazon. Former UK police officer celebrates career journey in new book AUBREY Campbell NEW YORK, NY: THE NEW York Caribbean media fraternity is mourning the passing of Janelle Robertson, who died on Monday, October 4, in Queens, NY, after being ill for some time. Listeners to Caribbean radio in the early days will remember her careful, caring voice from behind the micro- phone at WNWK, 105.9 FM, and WLIB, 1190 AM, doing voice-overs and fill- ing in where and when necessary, while interning at the RCA School of Broadcasting. The story is told that on the first night in the studio at WNWK, she was cataloguing commercials when a co- host on one of the programs failed to show and she was asked to ‘hold the fort’ and read a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Lady Finesse” - the name she would later acquire because of her smooth delivery - became an instant celebrity and was given her own show on the dial, helped by very strong lobbying by none other than Clinton Lindsay, for whom she had recorded a spot for then Bronx hot spot Act 11, which as they say now, ‘went viral’. Having done theatre in Jamaica and England, before migrating to the USA, the stage became a part of her repertoire including mistress of cere- monies for many of the gospel shows produced by the late Hopeton Lewis, as well as a starring role in‘Higgler’, the highly-acclaimed Jamaican comedy, among others. Janelle ‘Lady Finesse’ Roberts is an alum of St. Joseph’s Junior High and St. John Fisher High Schools in Preston, England and Kingston Technical High School, Jamaica. Although she was involved in theatre from age 9 years, her big break came while at KTHS, where she was cast in the play “What The Wine Seller Buy,” a production of the Jamaica School of Drama. She was the youngest cast member at the time. Fifty-nine-year-old Robertson, leaves to mourn her passing, mother, broth- ers, sisters, husband Carl, daughter Asia, grandchildren and other family members. She will be laid to rest at the Pinelawn Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY, onTuesday, October 12, at 11.00 am. Janelle Robertson, Caribbean Radio Voice Passes Lady Finesse CONTRIBUTED THE WEEK | - ,