By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterSTATISTICS SUPPLIED by the police show that Commissioner Francis Forbes has presided over the highest incidence of murder in a single year 1,139 in 2001, and, according to his analysis, the society can expect to experience higher levels of crime under his successor.
Forbes, who has held his position for nearly eight years, also has the unenviable record of some 15,526 murders being committed under his leadership of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Last week, The Gleaner, during an interview with Mr. Forbes, asked him how he felt about the likelihood of retiring, knowing he led the force when Jamaica recorded its highest numbers of murders.
NOT ALONE
But Commissioner Forbes retorted that he was not alone in that regard, noting that previous commissioners also have retired at a time when crime, including murder, was at an all-time high.
"Every commissioner left office with that (crime) record," he said. "And if you look at the 1970s, you will see that every single five-year period saw an increase over the preceding five years, so tell me which commissioner could have stayed for seven years and not seen an increase?"
But if one is to go by what Commissioner Forbes said, then Jamaicans can expect another record murder rate when the current 53-year-old commissioner makes way for his successor.
An examination of the crime figures since 1970 shows that Commissioner Forbes' analysis is correct.
For example, former Police Commissioner Herman Ricketts served from 1984 until 1991. He is the only commissioner besides Forbes who has served seven years. When Mr. Ricketts assumed office, the murder rate for that year was 484. When he left, it was 542, a difference of 77 murders.
LOWEST MURDER RATE
However, for Commissioner Forbes, when he assumed office in October 1, 1996, the murder rate was 925. When that is subtracted from the 2001 murder rate of 1,139, the highest in Jamaica's history, there is a difference of 314 murders.
According to figures obtained from Commissioner Forbes last week, the lowest murder rate in the country's history was recorded in 1971 when Com-missioner J.R. Middleton headed the Jamaica Constabulary Force. The number of murders recorded then was 145.
In recent weeks, Commis-sioner Forbes has acknowledged that the Force cannot fight crime alone. According to Forbes, more social intervention programmes are needed, a view expressed recently by National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips.
Murders Murders
Police Commissioner Tenure at beginning at end
of tenure of tenure
| J.R. Middleton | '70-73 | 152 | 232 |
| B.L. Robinson | '73-77 | 232 | 409 |
| D.O. Campbell | '77-80 | 409 | 889 |
| W.O. Bowes | '80-82 | 889 | 405 |
| J.E. Williams | '82-84 | 405 | 484 |
| H.E. Ricketts | '84-91 | 484 | 561 |
| R.E. Thompson | '91-93 | 561 | 654 |
| T.N.N. McMillan | '93-96 | 654 | 925 |
| F.A. Forbes | '96 to Aug.'04 | 925 | >900 |
