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Cops getting unfair treatment from INDECOM, says Wilson
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
CHAIRMAN of the Police Federation Sergeant Raymond Wilson has charged that the interpretation of the Act governing the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has resulted in the unfair and unjust treatment of the police as well as the removal of certain of their rights.
In a submission last week to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament charged with reviewing the Act, Sergeant Wilson said while the federation accepted the principle of police oversight and are very much in favour of the principle of an independent body whose remit is to carry out investigations into allegations of misconduct by the police in the lawful course of duty, it was at odds with the agency on several fronts.
"We believe that that Act and its interpretation by INDECOM have resulted in unfair and unjust treatment of members of the police force during the conduct or course of an investigation. The manner in which the Act is interpreted and enforced by INDECOM has disregarded due process and has literally resulted in the removal of certain rights from members whose conduct may be under investigation," he told the committee.
Wilson said that the federation's first point of concern was with the point at which INDECOM becomes involved in an investigation. "We think that INDECOM's early control of the investigative process when a police officer is involved in an event that results in the loss of life or injury to a citizen has created an undue burden on our members," Wilson said. "Indeed it results in our members being treated as criminals; suspects from that early stage every time they are involved in such events. We want to make it clear that if there is evidence that creates a need for such an investigation and they are treated as suspects we have no quarrel. We in effect operate under the burden or the presumption of guilt as we are seeing it and we believe this must be remedied," he contended.
Read more: http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/mobile/...ilson_15358222
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
CHAIRMAN of the Police Federation Sergeant Raymond Wilson has charged that the interpretation of the Act governing the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has resulted in the unfair and unjust treatment of the police as well as the removal of certain of their rights.
In a submission last week to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament charged with reviewing the Act, Sergeant Wilson said while the federation accepted the principle of police oversight and are very much in favour of the principle of an independent body whose remit is to carry out investigations into allegations of misconduct by the police in the lawful course of duty, it was at odds with the agency on several fronts.
"We believe that that Act and its interpretation by INDECOM have resulted in unfair and unjust treatment of members of the police force during the conduct or course of an investigation. The manner in which the Act is interpreted and enforced by INDECOM has disregarded due process and has literally resulted in the removal of certain rights from members whose conduct may be under investigation," he told the committee.
Wilson said that the federation's first point of concern was with the point at which INDECOM becomes involved in an investigation. "We think that INDECOM's early control of the investigative process when a police officer is involved in an event that results in the loss of life or injury to a citizen has created an undue burden on our members," Wilson said. "Indeed it results in our members being treated as criminals; suspects from that early stage every time they are involved in such events. We want to make it clear that if there is evidence that creates a need for such an investigation and they are treated as suspects we have no quarrel. We in effect operate under the burden or the presumption of guilt as we are seeing it and we believe this must be remedied," he contended.
Read more: http://m.jamaicaobserver.com/mobile/...ilson_15358222
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