THOMAS, FORBES, PHILLIPS
Byron Buckley, News Editor
AFTER THE applause accompanying his appointment as the next commissioner of police dies down, Mr. Lucius Thomas will be faced with the cold hard reality of his predecessors how to rein in Jamaica's intractable crime problem, particularly murder.
The country's chronic level of violent crime has outlasted previous commissioners of police, the two most recent being Francis Forbes and Colonel Trevor MacMillan. At the political level, after more than a decade at the helm of the national security ministry, K.D. Knight moved on without appreciably arresting the spiralling murder rate. The trend has continued under his successor, Dr. Peter Phillips, with homicides nearing 1,500 last year. Domestic violence as well as gang-related and community-based violence account for more than half of this mounting violence, according to data published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
The high level of violent crime points to a far deeper problem than simply a policing matter the society seems to be suffering from a psychosocial, and some would add spiritual, dysfunction that requires a multi-dimensional and multi-agency approach. Policymakers as well as the society must therefore appreciate the extent of the crime problem. It can't be solved simply by appointing a new commissioner, or minister of national security, who will end up being tossed out of office a few years later. The fact that the police have been able to push down the crime figures in the non-violent categories, and that in the region Jamaica compares favourably in the overall crime rate, speaks to a wider and deeper societal problem with violence. If we truly want Mr. Thomas to succeed in reducing violent crime then the political directorate and the taxpaying public must provide him with the moral and financial resources to craft a new kind of police force suitable to the needs of the society.
IMPACT
As presently constituted, the Jamaica Constabulary Force is not oriented, and hence not properly equipped, to make an impact on the mounting incidents of murder, shooting and wounding. This is the job for a different type of policeman or policewoman someone who can mediate and help to resolve conflicts. As Roman Catholic priest Monsignor Richard Albert has suggested, the new type of police operant must be akin to a social worker. In addition to being able to mediate conflicts, the police should be a conduit to welfare and other services of the state.
For a brief period in 2002/2003 the police took this approach in several crime-ridden communities and it began to work wonders for police/citizens relations. Sadly, the effort has waned under the load of lack of resources from private and public sources. In addition, the expected collaboration from relevant state agencies never materialised despite the fact that Development Minister, Paul Robertson, was assigned responsibility to coordinate the effort.
Under Francis Forbes' leadership a police mediation unit was established, but it has operated on the periphery of the force. Indeed, last year an officer attached to the unit lamented to The Gleaner that colleagues at the station level were quick to send complainants to the Courts office rather than attempt to mediate conflicts. But perhaps the average policeman and police woman do not feel themselves capable of offering mediation to members of the public. Commissioner Forbes must be commended for his move to place police personnel in schools to counsel youths against violence and lawlessness.
COUNSELLING PROFESSIONALS
One way for Mr. Thomas to fast-track the inclusion of conflict mediation as part of police work is to network with counselling professionals. For example, every local/divisional station should have a coterie of counsellors/mediators to whom cases can be referred at quick notice. Again, there are elements of this in operation through the Dispute Resolution Foundation and assorted programmes. But the impact is not pervasive and, therefore the incoming commissioner may choose to put some impetus behind these efforts. Clearly, this is a medium-to-long-term strategy that requires the input of other agencies apart from the JCF. So Mr. Thomas has to make the tactical decision whether he has the time or resources to go this route, and make an appreciable impact during the life of his contract.
For this approach to produce results the JCF must get the support of the political directorate in the executive and legislative branches. Resources is the name of the game. It may be more profitable for the commissioner-designate to focus his efforts on improving traditional policing roles detect crime, apprehend criminals as well as maintaining the rule of law. The first of these, detecting crime/apprehending criminals is where, I believe, Mr. Thomas needs to focus his attention. The apparent success in ferreting out drug lords points the way forward. It's all about the painstaking gathering of intelligence! This is clearly where Thomas' strength lies, coming from Special Branch; so we expect to see more smart policing than the use of brute-force tactics. In this regard policymakers need to approve the widespread use of paid informants. Here, the reward-based system operated by Crime Stop must be commended and appeals by Operation Kingfish to the public for information is noteworthy. More of this engagement of the citizenry needs to be done. In addition, government must carry through its announced intention to establish a national intelligence apparatus to underpin the work of the security forces.
For their part, legislators need to fast-track measures such as the Fingerprint Act and amendments to the Money Laundering Act. These will give the police leverage in combating crime. So too will the provision of proper forensic equipment. These are resources with which the political directorate must provide the incoming commissioner of police, if he is not to be given a basket to carry water.
PUBLIC ORDER
Perhaps, the maintenance of public order is the most urgent task that Mr. Thomas needs to address. The constituted forces of law and order are missing in action and influence in many communities and spheres of life in the country. At its worst manifestation, this has resulted in inner-city communities operating parallel systems of law and order as well as criminals masquerading as community leaders and dons. At the other side of the pendulum the police are often subservient to the so called 'big man' in society and wink at his excursions outside of the law. Commissioner Thomas and his charges do not need to negotiate with anyone for the police to take back its lawful place in society. Decent and law-abiding citizens would prefer to talk to the police rather than a don. Mr. Thomas' challenge is to take back the streets in every nook and cranny of Jamaica, as Minister Peter Phillips had implored the JCF to do three years ago when he took over the reins at the Ministry of National Security.
