THE EDITOR, Sir:AFTER LISTENING to the plaintive excuses of the previous commissioner regarding his inability to bring corrupt cops to book, and from personal experience with the almost cultural distrust of the police in Jamaican communities, I submit that unless and until the government (ruling party and Opposition) unite tactically to convince the nation of their consensus against crime, the communities will not cooperate.
As it stands, the minister of national security appears to be a lone voice crying in the wilderness with little or no public support from his parliamentary
colleagues on both sides of the house.
As a first step, Parliament must, without division, formulate and pass changes to the Jamaica Constabulary Force Act to allow the commissioner, with the help of a restructured Police Services Commission, to investigate, adjudicate and discipline corrupt and/or ineffective cops.
Parliament must re-establish the Police Service Commission along the lines of a police review board with an investigative division made up (in the first instance) of personnel seconded from the Military Intelligence Unit of the Jamaica Defence Force, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Scotland Yard.
During the first three years of this unit's operation, every effort should be made to enlist and train officers from within the JCF to perform internal investigations. It is critical that this review board be successful in dealing with indiscipline and corruption in the force and be seen to be impartial and unbiased.
If the above steps are taken and properly implemented, the people of Jamaica will begin to believe in the police and a collective will to eradicate crime will develop. Community policing will only work within an atmosphere of mutual respect and certainty of response.
I am, etc.,
HOWARD S. MITCHELL
Attorney-at-law
