JAMAICANS HAVE thrown their support behind government's decision to bring foreign police to assist the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in its crime-fighting efforts. A Gleaner-commissioned Don Anderson poll, conducted earlier this month, indicated that 78 per cent of 1,000 persons interviewed are in favour of the overseas-based lawmen coming to the island, while 21 per cent were opposed to the idea."It is clear that, at least from the public's perspective, there is very strong support for that decision," Anderson said.
Mark Shields, a chief superintendent with the London Metro-politan Police Force, will join the commissioner ranks of the JCF this week, as part of an agreement between the British and Jamaican governments to tackle the country's frightening crime rate. Supt. Shields is regarded as one of Scotland Yard's most experienced detectives, he will be on secondment here.
In the meantime, the Police Services Commission is in the process of interviewing another senior British police officer for a top job in the JCF.
"Between Monday (tomorrow) and Tuesday, we should be interviewing another senior British police officer. I cannot say much, but I know that we had scheduled this person to be interviewed," Chairman of the Police Services Commission (PCS), Noel Hylton, told The Sunday Gleaner.
Earlier this month, Dr. Peter Phillips, minister of national security, announced that several senior British police officers would be seconded to the island, beginning Tuesday, March 1, to assist in the initiatives against crime. Commissioner Lucius Thomas had travelled to Britain with the national security minister to make arrangements for their arrival.
Speaking briefly with The Sunday Gleaner Friday night, Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas, said he was in the process of wrapping up things.
However, while most Jamaicans want police help from overseas, the Police Federation and the Police Officers` Association (POA) had remained neutral on the matter.
While he endorsed the idea, law enforcement advisor to the JCF, David Purdy, had urged the Government to carefully consider the proposal before recruiting the foreigners .
Mr. Purdy, in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, noted `There`s wisdom to going out and bringing in others, but there`s a learning curve also that has to be added to the feature. People who are totally unfamiliar with the culture will struggle at the beginning and will have acceptance problems when they first come online. So that`s an issue that has to be dealt with.
The law enforcement expert pointed out, `There`s a reality check when you come to Jamaica, when you look at the pay equivalent, the equipment, the working conditions. Some of the stations are in deplorable condition and need to be fixed. (Furthermore) the country is severely challenged financially, to bring in somebody who has worked in the United States or the United Kingdom under a different set of standards, they might not be happy police officers here and may not stay, so you might lose some of your investment there.``
