Police chief quits

[Karl]

Police chief quits
Hardley Lewin resigns after less than six months as commissioner

BY BALFORD HENRY Observer writer
balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, June 03, 2008


COMMISSIONER of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin yesterday tendered his resignation from the post, less than six months after his appointment.


LEWIN. refused to comment on the issue
The Observer received confirmation last night that Lewin's resignation, which took immediate effect, was conveyed to the Police Service Commission yesterday.

A source told the Observer late last night that Lewin, in his letter of resignation, admitted that he had failed to perform and that he did not get the full support of the rank-and-file. According to the source, the Police Services Commission is trying to get the commissioner to reconsider his resignation, but he is insisting that he wanted to go because while the crime was increasing he was not able to mobilise the rank-and-file to get it under control.
It is expected that Deputy Commissioner of Police Jevene Bent will act in the post until a new commissioner is named by the Commission.

The resignation came as the Cabinet reviewed a 'framework for action', which Prime Minister Bruce Golding said had been handed to him Friday by the leadership of the security forces to deal with the current crime wave.

Golding told his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Area Council One meeting on Sunday that the framework needed funding, which he would seek from Minister of Finance and the Public Service Audley Shaw, as well as urgent legislative action which Minister of Justice Senator Dorothy Lightbourne would seek to complete.

Lewin, who last night attended a cocktail party celebrating Lasco's sponsorship of the annual Top Cop competition at the Police Officers Club in Kingston, refused to comment on the issue. He was yesterday scheduled to meet with the Lasco representatives who were expected to pay a courtesy call on him at the Commissioner's Office, Old Hope Road this morning. However, he gave no indication that he might be absent.
Prime Minister Golding said Sunday that he was not satisfied that the police were doing enough to deal with the crime wave, and listed disaffection with Lewin among the rank-and-file as one of the reasons he had been given.

There has also been speculation about the Rear Admiral's relationship with the new minister of national security, Colonel Trevor Macmillan. But, some sources said the criticisms of the commissioner, including his suggestion that crime will get worse before it gets better, as well as his failure to impact on the crime wave since December, might have influenced his decision to quit.

Lewin, the former Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), took over as commissioner in mid December following the departure of Lucius Thomas, a career policeman. His brief tenure as commissioner has been characterised by a rising murder toll, with almost 700 people killed already in 2008, despite an eight per cent drop in January. May has been the bloodiest month so far with more than 180 people murdered.

Golding, in his address to JLP supporters on Sunday, promised tougher policing, but said it would be "critical, creative and strategic".

"We are going to have to be tough, but while we are being tough we are going to have to be creative, and we are going to have to be forward-looking," he said.

[Karl]

Admiral jumps ship - Top cop Lewin quits
published: Tuesday | June 3, 2008


Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, seen here in army uniform, yesterday resigned as police commissioner. Lewin, who became Jamaica's top cop in December 2007, has faced widespread criticism from within the constabulary. - file

Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin has reportedly tendered his resignation as commissioner of police after just 168 days in the job, a senior government official confirmed last night.

The official said the resignation was on "general terms".

Last night, Lewin would not confirm whether he had stepped down.
"Be careful what you hear," was all Lewin was prepared to say when The Gleaner confronted him last night at the Police Officers' Club, St Andrew.
Later, he told The Gleaner by telephone, "I am not getting into any discussion about anything."

Last night, the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Noel Hylton, said he would not comment on the issue before a meeting with other members of the commission today.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding hinted that there were significant challenges in the police force. He told supporters at a Jamaica Labour Party Area Council One meeting in Pembroke Hall, St Andrew, that some members of the force were not performing optimally because they were not happy with the new commissioner and some of his initiatives.

Increasing pressure
The Golding administration has been under increasing pressure to present a crime plan to arrest the spiralling murder rate.
The latest demand was made by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica last week.

Since taking office on December 17, Lewin has faced a runaway crime rate, with more than 800 Jamaicans killed.

The month of May was particularly punishing, as more than 190 persons were murdered.

This is worse than any month in the record-breaking year of 2005 where 1,674 persons were killed.

In his first press conference after assuming the post of top cop, Lewin said he would embark on a shutdown of stations seen as inadequate and ineffective.

Over 25 cops arrested
Lewin also talked tough on reining in corruption in the force. One of his main intentions was to raise the fear of detection in the force in his first year. This aspect saw some success with more than 25 policemen arrested on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, the Opposition last night expressed its willingness to participate in a resumption of the Vale Royal talks, which the Government requested be convened as a matter of urgency.

It also recommended that the Government place priority on curbing crime. "The forthcoming talks should be solely dedicated to finding some common ground on this issue and that every effort be made to harness the goodwill of all Jamaicans in attacking this monster," chairman of the People's National Party, Robert Pickersgill said.

Real Admiral Hardley Lewin has never been short of words on the subject of crime fighting.

The Gleaner shares some of the most famous comments made by the Rear Admiral as chief of staff of the Jamaica Defence Force and as commissioner of police.

As chief of staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (October 2005)
"Tivoli Gardens represents the mother of all garrisons. The garrison machinery is well oiled, super effective and must be the envy of all others.
"Garrisons of whatsoever persuasion, JLP, PNP or no P, were little monsters that were created, possibly for reasons of political survival and defence of the faith. Little monsters grow into big monsters and spawn many little monsters which too grow up to become big monsters. In time, we can be overwhelmed and consumed by the consequences of our own creations.

As commissioner of police
On whether he feels pressured by the Government's pronouncements that it intends to reduce crime by 40 per cent over five years:
"Absolutely not! Part of the problem we have in this country is that we set low targets for ourselves and then fail to achieve them. I don't have a problem with the bar being raised. We can always look, at the end of the period, and then make a proper assessment of why we did not make a particular target. I'm not afraid of it!"

On guns over brains
"Whether it's a civilian with a licensed firearm or whatever, you give a man a gun and his brain stops functioning because he now has that power."
On closing police stations
"You have police stations all over the place and most of them don't make one good station. We're going to shut some down."

On cleaning up the JCF
"When one mentions the word 'police', I am sure that one of the first things that comes to mind is the word 'corruption'. My first act on my first day was to sign and promulgate the anti-corruption plan for the Jamaica Constabulary Force."

On crime
"We have to accept some truths. If we could just manage that, I think we are well on our way. Let me make it clear, it is going to get somewhat worse before it starts to get better."

[Karl]

I guess it may well be forward to DISARM and BUD policy?!

[Karl]

Gleaner EDITORIAL - This is the Prime Minister's call

EDITORIAL - This is the Prime Minister's call
published: Tuesday | June 3, 2008


Finally, Prime Minister Bruce Golding is stirring. He appears to be getting around to the realisation that crime is Jamaica's number one problem and the solution to which ought to be his government's priority.

But, as we pointed out in The Sunday Gleaner, what is now critical is how Mr Golding gives expression to his new realisation. What, concretely, is he going to do?

Responsibility of leadership
It can't be that the prime minister engages in a meandering, raindrop-dodging sophistry on the difference between operational responsibility and policy direction and suggest, as he appeared to do last week, that the primary call to action is with the police. Nor can Mr Golding exculpate himself from the responsibility of leadership and defer serious and effective action until he receives the imprimatur of the Opposition.

That is not the way it works. This, of course, is not to say that there are not questions of crime-fighting strategies and tactics for which the police ought to be held accountable; or that the PM ought not to seek accommodation and consensus with the Opposition. But the primary responsibility for effective action against crime rests with the Government, and more critically, with the prime minister.

Country in crisis
As we argued on Sunday, whatever the causes of crime in Jamaica - the anatomy of which is well known and understood - the country now faces a crisis. Nearly 700 homicides have been committed in Jamaica already this year, with a randomness that is terroristic. There is deep and debilitating fear in the society.

The solution to the crime problem faced in Jamaica is only secondarily a policing issue. More fundamentally, it is a matter of policy, responsibility for which no one, if tolerably thoughtful, could ascribe to the police chief, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin.

Worse before better
Admiral Lewin understands well that with normal policing tactics, in the context of the current policy environment, crime will probably get far worse before it gets better. The reversal will be slow and incremental.

We argue, which we suspect the police chief appreciates, that 'normal' policing will hardly work with efficacy in an abnormal, dysfunctional environment. People in a society have to agree to be policed. It, therefore, demands a degree of normalisation, a dramatic stanching of the mayhem, for the initiatives and tactics to be pursued by Admiral Lewin to have significant effect.

Unconventional initiatives
The short term insists upon unconventional initiatives, which must be the result of bold, uncompromising policy that carries the full weight and prestige of the office of prime minister. People may disagree with the policy, and resulting tactics and strategies, but they must be confident in the PM's commitment, and that it will be implemented without fear, favour or partisan consideration.

A commitment to this kind of ethical standard - assuming they agree that Jamaica faces a crisis that requires addressing in new and even unconventional ways - is necessary to engender public support and to persuade the Opposition that it should come aboard.

However, embarking on this approach ought not to be dependent on the outcome of a Vale Royal summit. The crisis is now. It demands action now.

The PM must buttonhole his Opposition counterpart. If she proves to be a laggard, so be it. Tell the people. But Mr Golding can't afford to shilly-shally and hand-wring on this one.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.

[Mosiah]

The rank and file - sigh.

I do hope the next commish is also from the outside. There is no career policeman who can get the job done.

[Time]

Adams coming back from retirement ?

The rank and file - sigh.

I do hope the next commish is also from the outside. There is no career policeman who can get the job done.

Fighting murder with Murder!

[Lazie]

Man ...dem need fi scrap the JCF and start a fresh. Them can't catch a criminal but dem waan to choose who should be commish? Scrap it and start a new.

[Mosiah]

Well, despite this wish from many of our citizens, dual ones too, it ain't gonna happen. Adams is now big movie star and I like that. At least he can have a drink with his victims once the scene is filmed.

[Mosiah]

Couldn't agree more. I hope to God that May's murder figures weren't an act of sabotage by the "rank and file" with an aim to get out the commish. I wouldn't put it past them. If only some tings coulda talk on this forum, but my life is probably in danger with the little I have said.

[MdmeX]

Couldn't agree more. I hope to God that May's murder figures weren't an act of sabotage by the "rank and file" with an aim to get out the commish. I wouldn't put it past them. If only some tings coulda talk on this forum, but my life is probably in danger with the little I have said.

I'm with you on this. It reeks of sabotage from the inner circles
So a wonder who the rank and file want to become Commissioner.

[Lazie]

Couldn't agree more. I hope to God that May's murder figures weren't an act of sabotage by the "rank and file" with an aim to get out the commish. I wouldn't put it past them. If only some tings coulda talk on this forum, but my life is probably in danger with the little I have said.

Well, I've been hearing that Divisional Commanders weren't giving their all and there is word that after addressing the police conference last week some comanders sat as most of the others gave a standing ovation.

[Plush]

This is very bad. I spoke to a few friends I know on the Police force and they weren't happy with the Commish. Not because he wasn't doing the right thing but more because he wasn't one of them. He didn't support their wrong doing or adapt to the Police old corrupt ways of doing things.

Things are so bad in the force that if you're not corrupted people won't support you as the leader. I regret that the commish gave up and walked away cause I know for sure now that someone inside will let the job. 25 police arrested in the little time the man is commish...talk about corruption...I hope the JLP is strong enough to impose some pressure here...The commish was right that it would get worse before it got better because the JCF itself needed a culture change which included weeding out the bad apples

[Mosiah]

Jamaicans, at home and abroad, do not know the level of corruption in the force. The situation in Mobay was so bad that any call to the police was an act of self-destruction as so many were wrapped up in the drug trade and you were not going to deny them.

Yes, Commish Lewin was abrasive if not downright rude at times, but I would rather have him in that position than a career JCF officer who did not have a problem with anything in the force. At least Adams spoke about some wrongs.

The got out MacMillan some years ago and now this one. Let's put back another "rank and file" cop and watch crime disappear!