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149 cops booted
BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter mattthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, August 09, 2010
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THE Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said it booted 149 cops from its ranks between January and July this year in what it admitted was an aggressive and ongoing campaign to rid the police force of cops who continued to operate unprofessionally.
Head of the Anti-Corruption Branch, Assistant Commissioner Justin Felice yesterday said the number of cops dismissed in the first seven months of the year was close to the number given marching orders for the entire 2009.
A police news release yesterday said that 34 of the dismissals were effected last month.
According to the news release, between January and July, 105 cops were not permitted to re-enlist, 26 were retired in the public interest, and 18 were cashiered as a result of corruption.
Another 21 cops have been charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act and are now before the courts.
One gazetted officer, four sergeants and one special sergeant were listed among 36 cops arrested for corruption breaches. Also arrested were three corporals, 19 constables, one special corporal, six special constables, and one district constable.
Assistant Commissioner Felice said that in addition to corruption, some of the cops were dismissed for unprofessional behaviour.
He said that removing rouge policemen and women from the constabulary was always a difficult task. However, one method being used to achieve this goal was rigorous review of the services of members when they come up for re-enlistment every five years.
He said those cops found to be involved in corrupt activities or whose actions or attitude were not in keeping with what the JCF required would not get their contracts renewed.
Felice also warned that the drive would be intensified in coming months.
"We are going to be working hard over the next three months and year to rid the force of anybody who is not up to the standards required," said Felice.
He also warned that part of the drive going forward was to also target civilians who attempted to corrupt policemen and women.
That point was highlighted in yesterday's news release which reported that since the start of the year 10 civilians have been charged for corrupting members of the JCF.
The release also said that a total of 55 personts (36 police and 19 civilians) have been arrested since the start of this year for corruption breaches. Of the 55, males numbered 50.
Last year, former head of the St Catherine North Police, Superintendent Harry 'Bungles' Daley, became the most senior Jamaican police officer to be found guilty of a crime.
Daley, accused of collecting protection money, was found guilty of the corruption charges that were levelled against him. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison. However, he is on bail pending the hearing of an appeal.
BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter mattthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com
Monday, August 09, 2010
Bookmark and Share
THE Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said it booted 149 cops from its ranks between January and July this year in what it admitted was an aggressive and ongoing campaign to rid the police force of cops who continued to operate unprofessionally.
Head of the Anti-Corruption Branch, Assistant Commissioner Justin Felice yesterday said the number of cops dismissed in the first seven months of the year was close to the number given marching orders for the entire 2009.
A police news release yesterday said that 34 of the dismissals were effected last month.
According to the news release, between January and July, 105 cops were not permitted to re-enlist, 26 were retired in the public interest, and 18 were cashiered as a result of corruption.
Another 21 cops have been charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act and are now before the courts.
One gazetted officer, four sergeants and one special sergeant were listed among 36 cops arrested for corruption breaches. Also arrested were three corporals, 19 constables, one special corporal, six special constables, and one district constable.
Assistant Commissioner Felice said that in addition to corruption, some of the cops were dismissed for unprofessional behaviour.
He said that removing rouge policemen and women from the constabulary was always a difficult task. However, one method being used to achieve this goal was rigorous review of the services of members when they come up for re-enlistment every five years.
He said those cops found to be involved in corrupt activities or whose actions or attitude were not in keeping with what the JCF required would not get their contracts renewed.
Felice also warned that the drive would be intensified in coming months.
"We are going to be working hard over the next three months and year to rid the force of anybody who is not up to the standards required," said Felice.
He also warned that part of the drive going forward was to also target civilians who attempted to corrupt policemen and women.
That point was highlighted in yesterday's news release which reported that since the start of the year 10 civilians have been charged for corrupting members of the JCF.
The release also said that a total of 55 personts (36 police and 19 civilians) have been arrested since the start of this year for corruption breaches. Of the 55, males numbered 50.
Last year, former head of the St Catherine North Police, Superintendent Harry 'Bungles' Daley, became the most senior Jamaican police officer to be found guilty of a crime.
Daley, accused of collecting protection money, was found guilty of the corruption charges that were levelled against him. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison. However, he is on bail pending the hearing of an appeal.
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