THE national security minister, Peter Phillips, last night promised a major overhaul in the command structure of the police force in the new year as part of the initiatives to fight crime, but did not provide specifics.

Phillips, in a radio and television broadcast, sought to assure Jamaicans that the country’s crime situation has improved over the past year, even though he conceded that the problem was still bad and “will not be solved overnight”.

According to Phillips, compared to this time last year murders — the crime that mostly drives the fear of crime in Jamaica — declined by 10 per cent, while shootings were down 13 per cent.

Robberies had dropped 22 per cent, break-ins by 26 per cent and larceny by 28 per cent. However, rape was at the same level as last year and carnal abuse increased 28 per cent, Phillips said.

The minister did not provide absolute numbers, but last night the police’s information arm, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) said that up to December 4 there were 903 murders, a decline of approximately eight per cent. There were 1,045 murders in Jamaica in 2002, giving the island one of the world’s highest murder rates.

Phillips’ speech was a sort of accounting of the year since the government launched a new crime initiative aimed at ‘dons’ and gangs in inner-city communities.

He quoted the findings of what he said was a recent independent survey suggesting that the fear of crime and violence was the biggest concern for about 60 per cent of Jamaicans.

Yet, over 80 per cent said they felt safe in their own neighbourhoods, while 60 per cent felt safe going to work, to shop or doing day-to-day errands.

Phillips did not say who did the survey or when it was completed, but some of the data was close to the findings of a Stone Organisation poll done for the Observer two years ago.

However, despite what appeared to be an improving sense of personal security, Phillips stressed that “the situation is far from being where it should be and remains unacceptable because the incidence of violent crime, especially murder, is way too high”.

But added the minister: “I cannot in all honesty look you in the eye and say the crime situation will be solved overnight because the problems of crime and violence are complex and need a sustained and integrated solution.

“However, what I can say is that the trend is in the right direction despite the challenges and occasional setbacks.”

Apart from social and other interventions to deal with the problems which exacerbate crime, Phillips said that there was also a focus on “both the tactical and operational improvements to the law enforcement infrastructure”.

In fact, plans for the immediate future, he said, include “major reforms to the command structure of the JCF”.

Senior police officials were not immediately available to comment on the plan and whether it involved implementing proposals under the bi-partisan National Crime Plan and those contained in a report by a US police consulting group called PERF.

The proposals in the National Crime Plan include the retirement of up to a half of the present top leaders of the Jamaican Constabulary Force and their replacement by younger, bright professionals, while the PERF report suggested a less centralised management system.

At present the constabulary — divided into nine areas and various divisions — is headed by a commissioner, who has four deputies, 12 assistant commissioners and 27 senior superintendents.

Under the PERF proposals, divisional commanders would be given more direct control over the management of resources and would have their performance judged against targets.

PERF also strongly stressed community policing.

Among the other plans announced by Phillips were:

* The permanent deployment of Mobile Reserve contingents outside of the Corporate Area to allow for more rapid response.

* The continuation and extension of community-based deployment of motorised patrols to all divisions in the Corporate Area and St Catherine.

* The strengthening of the Special Anti-Crime Task Force, with specialised training in weapons and tactics.

* Implementation and strengthening of the various border control proposals being considered for sometime now.

* Establishment of a new Professional Standards Bureau, from the merger of the Bureau of Special Investigation, Office of Professional Responsibility and the Complaints Division.

PHILLIPS’ ACHIEVEMENTS FROM THE ANTI-CRIME INITIATIVE

* Arrest of 8,267 persons, with 679 on warrants.

* Seizure of 19,059 offensive weapons.

* Seizure of 536 illegal firearms and 9,175 rounds of ammunition.

(Including 50 high-powered rifles — M16s and AK47s).