Some eight members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force have been given marching orders to retire in the public's interest.

Karl Angell, the force's communications director, yesterday confirmed that the Police Service Commission (PSC) issued the correspondences at least two weeks ago.

"The letters were sent out about two to three weeks ago, and until they become formal we cannot release the names," he said.

Angell was coy in his response as to what prompted the decision to send home the policemen, and to which divisions they are attached.

However, information garnered by this newspaper revealed that at least four of the persons written to are stationed in the parishes of Westmoreland and St James. It is understood that the policemen have up to 14 days to respond.

Two weeks to respond

This news comes about three months after eight police personnel in St James were given two weeks to respond to allegations of their involvement in the much-talked-about lottery scam.

Those eight were attached to the Mount Salem Police Station in Montego Bay, and were among 18 men and women who were interdicted in April by the police high command for their alleged criminal and illegal activities in the parish. They were reportedly implicated by 'fake cop' Courtney Grayson, who the high command say was recruited by members of the force attached to the station.

Following investigations and a ruling by Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn in June that her office could find no grounds to charge them criminally, the files were sent back to then commissioner of police, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin.

Lewin recommended that six of the 18 police officers be reinstated, 10 were told to retire in the public interest, and the other two were to be further investigated.

But in August, eight out of the 10 received letters from the PSC in accordance with the provision of Section 26 of the Police Service Regulation of 1961.

At press time, there was no new information on the Mount Salem cops.