After giving 40 years of his life to Jamaica's entertainment landscape as the former Sting promoter, and 20 years of national service as a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Isaiah Laing believes he is "well deserving" of national recognition. "The work that I've done in entertainment and the police force, I should've had an OD (Order of Distinction) to my name. The work that I've seen being done by police who got that award, I've done that many times over.
I more than deserve that award and every police in the force know, because most of them think I have got it before. The entertainment industry think I've got it also," Laing told THE STAR . With dancehall artistes Beenie Man and Bounty Killer set to receive ODs, Laing questioned "How Beenie and Bounty can get that over me when it's Sting, that I created, established them and many others? Because how are you going to crown the man who I build but not the man who build them?" But Laing was adamant that he was not going to beg for an award even though he has excelled in every avenue he's pursued.
"It's not a good feeling to know that you're in a job and you see some people getting award for something remarkable that they've done, when you know you've done things twice as much as that and nobody look at you. It hurts," he said. The ex-detective sergeant officer said he was only previously nominated for a Badge of Honour for Gallantry in 1988 but after the recommendation was sent in by his superintendent at the Admiral Town Police Station, he heard nothing further.
He has not been nominated since. Laing said achieving such an award would mean a lot to him as it sends a strong sense of national pride. "The national award is the most prestigious award for Jamaica and for an [individual to be] awarded by the highest order, then you must be proud.
It is definitely something you have to be proud of. There are a lot of unsung heroes in this country that don't get the attention that they are supposed to be getting and I am one of them. But I'm not going to go out there and [nominate] myself.
I'm humble, I put in the work and it should be recognised." He said he currently has plans to host an annual award show to "salute and recognise the unsung heroes who are often left by the wayside". Being dubbed as one of the 'most fearless' crime-fighters who brought down several criminals, Laing said most of his "flawless" operations stemmed from a place of passion and dedication while having a great relationship with the community.
"When I do my work, I hardly have flaws - the amount of commendations I got during the police force, I'm almost sure I topped the list. For example, I recovered over 145 firearms in the time when firearms weren't that prevalent. But where they are, I smelled them and go dig them.
I was like a pit bull that come for them. Just because I live good with the residents, I get the intelligence - people just always tell me things because when you have confidence in police, that's what happens," he said. "Since leaving, I gave them over 240 guns again, people come to me with information and I passed it on to them and like I always say, 'No matter what they say about me, I will always be a police - police until I die'," he added.
Growing up in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Laing learned the importance of community values and used his love for music to build a "stronger sense of community". With his first official event - a house party in 1980 titled 'Hit The Road Jack,' - he saw how powerful music was in bringing together several rival communities. This gave rise to Sting.
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