The search for a new police commissioner has yet to really start, and it will not get going until after Friday, when Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin leaves his office at 103 Old Hope Road, St Andrew, for the last time.

However, smart money is being bet on Owen Ellington, the acting deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations and crime.

The Gleaner can confirm that Ellington is the Government's choice to replace Lewin. However, Ellington will have to get the approval of the Police Service Commission (PSC), which is the body mandated to appoint the police commissioner.

Government sources yesterday told The Gleaner that Ellington had impressed the Bruce Golding administration in the two years that it has been in office.

"Ellington is the man we think would be the right fit for the job at this time, and we hope the PSC agrees," said a senior government official.

The declaration came hours after it was confirmed that Lewin had tendered his resignation and is to leave office on Friday with more than a year to go on his contract.

The PSC is expected to interview deputy commissioners Jevene Bent, Ellington and Charles Scarlett before naming an acting commissioner this week while the search continues for a replacement for Lewin.

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That search is likely to begin by next week.

Retired Assistant Commissioner Errol Strong, who now heads the Firearm Licensing Authority, Assistant Commissioner Novlette Grant, and Deputy Commissioners Bent, Scarlett and Linval Bailey are expected to be in the mix.

However, while Grant, Bailey and Scarlett have completed international police commissioner courses, it appears that they will all lose out to Ellington.

"We don't want to repeat the experiment of going outside to get a commissioner. That was a major failure with Lewin, and we think Ellington has the necessary experience and knowledge to lead the force," the government source told The Gleaner.

Ellington has been a member of the force for almost 30 years and has worked in several areas.

In fact, he was the lead man who outlined the police operational master plan and its needs in terms of resources and legislation when members of the Government and Opposition met in June 2008 at Vale Royal to discuss crime-fighting measures.

Ellington has also served as commanding officer for St James, head of security operations during the 2007 Cricket World Cup, and was the lead cop at the Sangster International Airport during the CanJet hostage drama in April.

Studied overseas

Having recently completed a management course overseas, Ellington has spent the last six months as the face of the police force on crime. Last week, he hosted members of the media at a briefing where he argued that the approximately 180 criminal gangs operating locally are behind the majority of the violence.

"If we are going to be successful at dealing with criminal gangs, we are going to have to use mechanisms, such as plea-bargaining. We are going to have to look at greater use of asset-forfeiture legislation, such as the Proceeds of Crime Act," Ellington told journalists.

He was also the point man for the force during recent talks with Italian law-enforcement officials who were in the island to share their experiences in dealing with criminal gangs.

Once charged

Ellington hit the national radar in 1996 when, while a superintendent, he was charged with conspiracy to defraud an insurance company.

He was cleared of the charges in September 1998, but his two co-accused, Corporal Errol 'Schoolboy' Richards and Janice Bernard were found guilty and sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Ellington subsequently filed a lawsuit against the attorney general and the arresting officer claiming that they had acted maliciously in prosecuting him and had retarded his scope for promotion.

However, the case was thrown out of court after government lawyers convinced the judge that there had been no malice in the arrest.