THE BELEAGUERED Jamaica Constabulary may have regained some measure of public confidence in keeping the lid on criminal activity over the festive season. By most accounts, crime was at a tolerable -- though still not acceptable -- level.
In short, things seemed to gone bad with the Force during 2000 before they started getting better. It was reassuring, moving about the Corporate Area of Kingston and St. Andrew -- to see walking, accessible, within-reach police personnel -- in a great many places.
As we saw it the high visibility of the police could be interpreted as the early dividends of the community policing programme being implemented by Police Commissioner Francis Forbes and the other members of the JCF High Command.
But we need much more of the same -- and all over Jamaica, and quickly. And on the roads the traffic cops seem more polite now when they stop motorists.
Of course the major problems are still to be resolved. Among them are the investigation into illegal wire-tapping, and the alleged involvement in narcotics trafficking.
If the police force is to regain the credibility and reputation of fairness and balance and impartiality it had not too long ago, those two investigations will have to be cleared up without much delay, and a really hard look taken at the rumours and allegations of corruption in various forms that have for so long hamstrung the JCF.
Only then will the Jamaican public regain confidence in the police force. This major bulwark of national security needs desperately to cleanse itself if ever it hopes to live up to its mandate of serving, protecting and reassuring every single member of this nation.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.
