Ellington

Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington has been appointed to act as the nation's top cop, less than 24 hours after Government sources told The Gleaner he was the man the Bruce Golding administration wants to replace Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday reported that it had accepted Lewin's resignation as commissioner of police with effect from this Friday, as reported by The Gleaner.

In addition, the PSC announced the appointment of Ellington to act in the post effective Saturday, while it begins the search for a permanent replacement.

Leapfrogged

With his appointment to act until a new commissioner is selected, Ellington has leap-frogged Jevene Bent, who is the deputy commissioner in charge of administration and who acted in the post in 2005 when Francis Forbes resigned, and 2007 when Forbes' replacement, Lucius Thomas, also called it a day.

Bent, a well-respected senior cop, is not expected to get the top post despite her qualifications and achievements in the force over many years. Ellington, on the other hand, will now go through a test period to stake his claim to members of the public who might be sceptical about the appointment of a commissioner who is liked and wanted by the political directorate.

Only last week Ellington gave members of the media his ideas on the contribution criminal gangs are making to Jamaica's crime problem, and pleaded with the political directorate to dust off the plea-bargaining legislation that has been languishing in the legislative system for more than 10 years.

A career police officer with experience in all aspects of crime fighting, Ellington is seen by the administration as the man for a job which Prime Minister Bruce Golding has made it clear Lewin, who has led the force for almost two years, failed to perform.

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com