High legal fees hurting Police Federation

BY ALESIA EDWARDS Observer staff reporter alesiae@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, September 02, 2010

OCHO RIOS, St Ann — An increase in fatal shootings by members of the constabulary force is said to be costing the Government and the Jamaica Police Federation, which represents rank and file members, millions of dollars each year in legal fees.

General secretary of the Police Federation, Sergeant Jacqueline Brown said the federation has been paying between $1.5 and $5 million for each case of fatal shooting and that Government has not reimbursed the federation for fees paid since 2008.

Addressing delegates yesterday at the 67th annual conference of the Jamaica Police Federation at the Sunset Jamaica Grande here, Sergeant Brown said the federation has suffered tremendous 'financial erosion' because of the payment of legal fees.

"Presently, 40 such cases are on our books; although these cases arise in the line of duty, we are the ones who must pay to mount a defence, since there has been no reimbursement for fees from the Government since 2008."

Sergeant Brown said, too, an unprecedented number of police personnel have also been dismissed from the police force and that many have not been allowed to be re-enlisted. She said in some of the dismissals, the federation believes the principles of natural justice were breached.

"...Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done; there was also an increase in a number of members charged for alleged corruption and corrupted activities," she said.

"The federation this year suffered from a triple-jeopardy effect, because we provide funds for the members to go to the RM (resident magistrate's), Supreme Court and sometimes the Gun Court...where the charge results in a not guilty verdict, most time, they are charged departmentally and we pay.

"If they are found guilty at the court of inquiry, then we also have to pay at the appeal process, hence the federation has suffered tremendous financial erosion because of our legal fees."

She said creative manoeuvring has helped the organisation to remain viable in helping to meet its legal fees commitment up to January 2011. But, she said with the astronomical increase in legal fees, it cannot be business as usual.

"...The mettle of [the] central executive continues to be tested from forces both within and without, and we must all commit to ensuring that as we call upon our members and others to be accountable we are also to be above reproach."

She urged members not be become engaged in corrupt practices in the line of duty, but rather seek to display the highest level of professionalism at all times.

"Times are hard, but we must draw on the inner resources of integrity, honesty and principles of duty before dishonour to rise above ...," Sergeant Brown told the rank and file policemen and women.

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COMMENTS (3)

Yard Vibz
9/2/2010

Bwoy, what a thing eeh! Missa Brown kno all along seh him pickney dem a wrongdoers, but neva seh a word until dem cut out him pants pockets. It would be nice if we could hear that someone dies from old age, or natural causes every once in a while. But no such news from one of the most cherished places in the world. Between shottas & police, physicians are being starved, as they are unable to diagnose illnesses & write prescriptions, because everybody going home early. Welcome to Jam Rock! Peace!

Orville Smith
9/2/2010

Oh yeah, that's only money you are bawling about, think about the mental, psychological and physical pain and trauma the victim's families/relatives have to suffer. Also is it not a travesty of some sort for the government to be paying the legal fees of the police, whose duty it is to uphold the law, and who have abandoned that duty and have gone and committed murder? Should'nt they the police be paying their own legal fees?
Does the gov. pay anyone else's legal fees? no wonder they continue.

george watson
9/2/2010

Probably if the police took more care before they shot people then the government (we) wouldn't have to be paying out those exorbitant fees.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for some of these shootings, but some, like two recent cases, I think could have been avoided.

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