Lead Stories

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

Police Commissioner Owen Ellington has declared that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) can be cleansed within five years if serious efforts are made to rid it of undisciplined members.

Addressing the 67th joint central conferences of the Jamaica Police Federation at the Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, St Ann, yesterday, Ellington said cops who have a record of indiscipline should be comprehensively reviewed when they come up for re-enlistment in the force.

"We can't continue with the kind of indiscipline which is in this police force, we cannot continue," Ellington stressed to the gathering of rank-and-file members of the police force.

"I have said to all commanders, and it's by way of instruction, that people who have a record of indiscipline, dereliction of duty, disrespect to any individual whether it's to police or civilian, when they come up for re-enlistment, let us do a comprehensive review. If we take this seriously, if it works, in five years' time, we can cleanse this police force," he argued.

The police commissioner's declaration comes days after it was reported in the media that Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice said he expected the JCF's anti-corruption strategy to produce an honest force in three years.

Ellington lauded senior officers who, he said, are now taking a stand against indiscipline in the force. He urged them to remain alert to individuals who think they can do as they like, including disregarding their duties and being rude to people.

"You mustn't be rude to anybody, even the prisoners coming into custody; we must show him respect," he told the policemen.

"We are far more efficient, we are far better at what we do when we are respectful and courteous to people and I want you to show zero tolerance to those kind of individuals," Ellington said.

Continued stance

Ellington's pronouncements appear to be a continuation of a stance taken since occupying the commissioner's chair last November, acting for five months before being confirmed in April this year.

For the first seven months of 2010, 149 rogue cops have been removed from the JCF, as the force's anti-corruption arm stepped up efforts to weed out bad cops.

Of that number, 105 were barred from re-enlisting after their old contracts expired. The others were dismissed, either through retirement in the public interest or for corruption-related issues.