RBSC

**Mosiah** · February 4, 2013, 02:34 PM

“Sometimes you would say something and they wouldn’t understand it and a colleague would then say it to them in the same way and then they would *answer. But it played to my advantage being white-skinned because the people trusted white-skinned people much more than they would trust a black officer."

- Les Green

**Mosiah** · February 4, 2013, 02:35 PM

“In some rural communities they would run out and buy a lottery ticket simply because I had come into their community because they associate things with numbers, and a white man is a particular number for a lotto ticket.”

- Les Green

**Islandman** · February 4, 2013, 02:36 PM

It really hurts to read it but I have no doubt that it is true.

**Mosiah** · February 4, 2013, 02:39 PM

Comment on the article:

CV Writers CV Writers
11:15 AM on 4/2/2013

Mrs Hamilton, I do understand your point of view. Troubles do flourish in the dark with every country and Jamaica is no exception. However, I do not understand the reason someone who was assigned on a partnership agreement with the highest level of Jamaica's security systems would want to utter these comments to a NEWSPAPER. As I said, if Mr Green had submitted a report to the Police in England as proof of bad practice in the Jamaican Police, I would accept that the utterances are being done in the remit and conciousness of his assignment.

You probably do not understand the battles the Jamaican Police face everyday to try and keep order in that country, the brutal lawlessness amongst young men generally aged between 16 and 29 years. This article does not help the Police in their struggle to engage effectively with groups of citizens in the inner city and so forth. The media in Jamaica has taken up the story and it is quite upsetting that there is risk of the Police being further alienated from ordinary citizens. There are also areas of the article which is insulting. For example, although many Jamaican persons speak patois, citizens DO understand English, it being the first language. Perhaps his British accent was the barrier, not the language.

Before Mr Green made his decision to offer this article to the Daily Mirror, he probably did not realise how seriously damaging it would be in Jamaica. He spent eight years in the country and should have far more sensitivity to the effects the article would have THERE, not here. If he were a tourist, I would accept, not a Senior Police Officer. His predecessor Mark Shields might echo his thoughts but I have not seen him disrespect the entire Police Force in such a manner.

**Mosiah** · February 4, 2013, 02:41 PM

But in this case I would not even draw the race card, or the self-hate one. It was clear he was a foreigner so he maybe he would not have been caught up in the corruption that is present in the JCF. I think there would have been the same mistrust were he a local white cop.

Which begs the question: is there any white police officer in the JCF other than those we imported from Scotland Yard?

**Assasin** · February 4, 2013, 02:46 PM

The country people tell me the local police and the criminals are in bed. You give the police info and badman come look for you. One ask "how them know?"

Them rather call the 800 numbers that they don't have to give personal info or not report the crimes any at all. I can still remember the days when not all but most within the community trusted the police.

**Sir X** · February 4, 2013, 02:47 PM

Which begs my question , if Jamaica is listed as one of the most corrupt places in the world , would the DPP be exempt seeing that they are the agency that should prosecute such cases ? and seeing as you says the JCF is corrupt ?

Again why not emporer all anti corruption agencies to see what would be brought before the courts and exposed ? or what would be as Lazie says be flimsy cases based on flimsy evidence.

Given what Green has stated , there are 2 Jamaicas but both are awash with drugs how much would the empowerment process expose ?

JFJ and other human rights group need to advocate for this empowerment.

**Mosiah** · February 4, 2013, 02:48 PM

Hop offa JFJ bumpa nuh sah!

**Sir X** · February 4, 2013, 02:49 PM

Why unnuh can serve a purpose or unnuh part of the corruption tuh ?

**World Fan** · February 4, 2013, 04:15 PM

This is just what he is saying in public

I want to think he is using the police to get in some licks at the politicians.

**Rockman** · February 4, 2013, 04:16 PM

"His job was to help local police deal with the criminals “at source” before their drugs could reach the UK."

This explains why Green comes across as apathetic to Jamaica despite working there for over 8 years,he was an England cop given free reign to operate on the streets of Jamaica.

**Mosiah** · February 4, 2013, 05:53 PM

Comments from the Gleaner:

Discussion
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Yardman • in 6 hours
"...like stepping back in time". "nothing like the sense of urgency I had in the UK ". I hope those who have ears to hear will hear and do something about it.
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lindel davis Yardman • in 7 hours
This applies to us all as a nation, I have constantly said we have a national problem as described in Mr. Greens report.The main problem is that we are in denial.We have to look in the mirror, one by one, make a personal commitment to make ours a better country.
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Andyb • in 6 hours
He's right... Jamaicans are lazy from the government down.
25 •Reply•Share ›

prettybaby • in 5 hours
This is what happen when u allow people from another country to come there and see the dirty habits the Jamaica constabulary force produce they need to have them better trained even a dog have better training than the police when u tell a dog to fetch u shoe he goes right away and come back when u ask a policeman to investigate a crime him come back two years after
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Fair and Balanced prettybaby • in 9 hours
Good one. Have me laughing.
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Yadda • in 7 hours
"Next to lazy is putting it mildly." . .As to "There is always tomorrow, always another time to do something. There's always a drink or a pretty woman to distract them." It is so true! I could not believe the attitude of a supposed investigating officer in my relatives murder. He was so taken with the food available that to this day he has done absolutely nothing. I complained bitterly about a pig tied up in the front of my yard upon my arrival. None of us in my family deal with pig or pork products and I thought it EXTREMELY out of order for them to take the pig there. The wanga gut detectives found it funny and said he was just thinking how much of the pork he was going to get to eat. It totally escaped him that I wanted no darn pork in my place and it was going to cause a dispute. He came, he ate and did no work
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Souljah • in 8 hours
Well done sir...pity you spoke less.....as a nation we all love our Olympic ,world cup and VW glory......We need to all wake up and realize that we are big hypocrites who would all wish our nastiness are hidden.....crime to most of us is murder.....people like less green and Greg Christie will always be admired in open but guess what?......middle class jamaica is what's hurting us!!
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paul thomas • in 6 hours
I support Mr green claim Jamaica does have a backward system that the use and fight crime...... I have had experience where i witness one police officer taking statement of 3 person from a accident by pen and paper and that section where the the officer was working wasn't even equipment with a computer !!! when i stand and look around in the station i ask myself what kind of crime can the solve when the don't even visit accident seen !!! the still use books to record info !!1
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southy • in 5 hours
but they are proud of that VW ad that shows exactly that.."you're 3 minutes late, cho boss ,every ting irie mon,jus smile mon"
12 •Reply•Share ›

GCROOKS • in 5 hours
I guess will be condemning Les Green, but everything this gentleman talks about is true. To prove my point, just take a look at the living quarters of Police Officers at the Ferry Police Station. Then you wonder why Jamaican Police Officers are corrupt. If you don't take care of your Police Officers like other countries do then they will become corrupt.
13 1 •Reply•Share ›

St. Marian • in 10 hours
This is what happens when more money is spent procuring high end SUVs, shelling down a club, and organizing lavish parties, than updating the antiquated police system.

Mr. Green is wrong in one regard only. The hardest working policemen and women can be found on the traffic department where they are conveniently parked under a cool shady tree waiting to pounce on unsuspecting motorists.

But don't worry mon! Everyting irie!
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Fair and Balanced • in 7 hours
He brought the mirror to the vampire party. How profound!
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Pink Panther • in 3 hours
Therein lies the root of our problem, no sense of urgency in anything we Govern. When you have never lived outside of this Country, one cannot truly appreciate when one says 'no lack of urgency' as you can become immuned to the System and its pitfalls.
Having lived in England for 7 years and back on the Island for sometime now, I still lament on the time it takes to do almost anything that is outside of your control.
Whether we like where the criticisms comes from or not, we are going no where fast until we recognise that we need some a kick up the backside.
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Abba • in 2 hours
This is very embarrassing but it the fact. Hopefully somebody in an authoritative position will read this article and make a move to improve the JCF. We do need a competent police force to assist in fostering positive growth in Jamaica.
5 •Reply•Share ›

Gretelbrd893 • in 3 hours
This type of work ethic is institutionalised. The sad part is Jamaicans revel in this attitude and consider it an admirable trait. it is not confined to the police force.

It appears that this new Comissioner is taking a nononsence approach and trying to change this ' manana' syndrome. To do this he will need more outside help to root out the currupt officers and gang leaders throughout the island. So far, a great start. However the Commissioner will have to keep the pressure and focus on weeding out those who would disgrace the force.

There is great opportunity for success if politicians will allow the the Comissioner to do his job.
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Glen • in 2 hours
going on like you never look on the pretty girl too.fun and joke aside ,Mr Green, its not just the police force that behind time ,the entire country,it took two days to send one letter from down stairs to up-stair,try do business with any govt.ministry,tax office, the wharf, the post office ,time mean nothing to them,you have it correct there always tomorrow, now that you retire,remember to come back and spend some time and money with the pretty girl,Jamaica no problem Mon.
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THEDKJ • in an hour
There is always a drink or a pretty woman to distract them, he has stated!!.
Does that only applies to the police or doesn't that goes for the society in general!!!.
When one has stated that Jamaica needs to look further than the party, party, and dancing every where, creation of dance zones, in order to develop the country, they are censored.
A lack of good and responsible work ethic is one of the rotten pillars that is holding up the structure called Jamaica, that must be replaced.

White man is telling them so they will believe!!!.
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capt jim mcintyre • in 6 hours
No offense intended, but fifty-four, the man looks much older than that.
Police work must excessively age people with all the trauma, and drama--me glad me never 13!
3 •Reply•Share ›

Jamaica Ante Mortem capt jim mcintyre • in 7 hours
I guess that's why the Jamaican police officers look so young, as they do not do any work
20 •Reply•Share ›

Conqueror • in 4 hours
Welcome to Jamrock. I could have told you that ACP. The justice system is 2 generations behind time. Technology should be a dominant tool in this area but it next to nothing with these lazy police.
3 •Reply•Share ›

koficampbell • in 3 hours
Poor infrastructure? No problem mon! Be happy mon!
3 •Reply•Share ›

Guest • in 2 hours
Let's hope we can see ourselves as others see us and make the necessary improvements to become a better people or curse at their perception and continue with our lives in a state of self denial in a culture that endorses the phenomenon of "Jamaica, no problem mon"
3 •Reply•Share ›

jamve • in 2 hours
Sorry for your bad experience but welcome to Jamrock, nowhere else like it.
3 •Reply•Share ›

Fair and Balanced • in 2 hours
Why investigate when they can go out and just shoot someone to death? Afterall, How esle could they become "brand name" cop?
Police in Jamaica are doing what's expected of them- selling their souls to the devil to enforce political ineptitude. How sad!
3 •Reply•Share ›

Jahmekyan4Justis • in 2 hours
Suh...yuh couldn't do anyting about it when u was here? In di eight years how much farther yuh put the backward policing? It nuh feel nuh different from eight years ago.
5 1 •Reply•Share ›

Tego • in 3 hours
54 tuff years!!!....
2 •Reply•Share ›

gwoods • in 5 hours
Welcome to Jamaica my friend! However, bear in mind a few things:
1. It took Britain over 1000 years to get to where she is today
2. Even today, Britain is just a faint shadow of her past glory
3. Our cultures are very different: The UK’s is a highly developed industrial country where lots of its disciplines have been forged due to warfare. We have a very different history where slavery, colonialism, climate, and culture have made us to be a “happy-go-lucky” people
4. Britain was Jamaica’s schoolmaster for almost 300 years (1665-1962). So it’s either she was a poor teacher or we were poor students; either way, she can’t escape responsibility for our present situation
5. We want to do better and will do better; but, we still need all the positive (not negative or destructive) help that we can get.
9 7 •Reply•Share ›

ianc gwoods • in 9 hours
True has this may, we are now living in a modern time where access to information is just at our finger tip. We cannot continue to use the same old tired excuses as to why we have not made any meanful progress. Look our caricom neighbours who have been independent for less years. We have not progressed because our attitude and our ability to embrace changes.
9 •Reply•Share ›

MLKJunya • in 7 hours
We must bring back the World Boss
2 1 •Reply•Share ›

SmithMax • in 10 hours
You know what these comments need is "a smile mon"....*insert Jimmy Cliff's happy song here*
1 •Reply•Share ›

fatherforesight • in 2 hours
Now we can ALL believe it, as we are hearing it from a HORSE'S MOUTH that was in the STABLE. It sounds like a WASTE of money to be operating a force with such low propensity. Poor us. Can this, or is this being corrected?
1 •Reply•Share ›

macgregor • in an hour
The JCF is still a step back in time. Bars are still in police stations and run by police persons. They drink in uniform. There is no operational code of conduct. Bribe taking is normalized. They are still a force and not a Police Department or Police Service. The word force symbolizes just that. The JCF is a colonial era paramilitary unit that was set up to keep poor/black people in check and that mission has never changed. The old and uncomfortable colonial uniform has not changed much and neither has the mentality. THE FORCE has had a string of poor management including Ellington. They do not understand that the role is to serve and protect, which includes apprehending and not executing. The rank and file believe that killing criminals is good police strategy and in face of the failed strategy, THE FORCE continues to EXECUTE that strategy. After over twenty years of over 200 annual killings/murders by THE FORCE, the country is no more safe, no more protected. Yet, we have senior police officers blatantly saying on TV that murder rate is down in January because of the high rate of FORCE killings. And, we the people. or better yet, we the fools, do not even know that we deserve better than this. There is mediocrity everywhere.
1 •Reply•Share ›

Fortis • in 3 hours
We don't have anyone setting off bombs in Jamaica do we?? And yes, we look at pretty women, because Jamaica is blessed with so many, unlike the ugly ones prevalent in the UK. You Les Green could not get a decent job in the UK and now find it necessary to turn around and bite the hand that fed you for 8 years. If you were that good and proficient at policing, why did it take you 8-years to make pedestrian "improvements" in the level of policing in JA?? There are systems in place to discipline wayward cops, so it must have been that you were a damn COWARD in not using such systems. Finger point is always a clear indication of inept leadership, and you are no exception.
3 3 •Reply•Share ›

CV Writers CV Writers • in 2 hours
I think Mr Green should have been more sensitive to the Jamaican Police Force and not published this article in a NEWSPAPER. If he had submitted the report to the Metropolitan Police as part the joint-up agreement between Jamaican and Britain, it would have been more appropriate.

I do not think he realises after eight years of being in Jamaica, that such utterances would have subtle effects of how the Police engages with the ordinary citizens. His predecessor Mark Shields might echo the same opinion but I have not heard him speak in such manner out of context?

**Bricktop** · February 4, 2013, 08:12 PM

Like when I tell them that you can't find a good worker in Jamaica and they laugh at me...and when Les say it the forum is licking the dirt from his boot heels

Me · February 4, 2013, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by Mosiah View Post

Which begs the question: is there any white police officer in the JCF other than those we imported from Scotland Yard?

Yeah man. You did have a breddah weh come from some deep bush. A short stubby man, who hard to underastand and have a breddah whe look like him is straight from Scotland (not yard).

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