Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

The main interest groups of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) - the Police Federation and the Police Officers Association (POA) - have finally accepted the decision of the Police Service Commission (PSC) to appoint Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin as the next commissioner of police.

Despite their acceptances, chairman of the POA, Superinten-dent Norman Heywood, said his group will be having talks with the government and the PSC to address their grouses.

"Notwithstanding, the POA still intends to take up other issues with the PSC and the Government as it relates to the human development and the succession planning within the JCF to career officers who are qualified, competent and capable to assume the role of the commissioner in the future," he told The Gleaner yesterday.

The groups' endorsement of Rear Admiral Lewin represents an about-turn as, days after the resignation of Lucius Thomas as commissioner of police, they had voiced their preference for an individual from within the force being selected to the post.

Rear Admiral Lewin is the immediate past chief of staff of the Jamaica Defence Force.

A statement from the federation called for "continued strong, focused and transformational leadership at the helm of the Jamaica Constabulary Force to pursue the necessary organisational reforms and suffocate crime".