Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • International
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • International
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
  • Latest
  • Business
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
News
BY Erica Virtue Observer writer  
October 31, 2004

New unit to catch or clear ‘corrupt’ cops

THE Jamaica Constabulary Force is to merge a number of its investigative arms to form one unit whose core function will be to target and investigate police misconduct, especially corruption.

The Internal Affairs and Anti-Corruption Unit (IAAU) will be an off-shoot of the current Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) – the intelligence arm of the Police force – after the IAU’s merger with the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI).

“We are hoping to have the branch up and running by the launch of the new corporate strategy next year, and one of the things that we will be paying specific attention to, is misconduct – especially corruption,” Assistant

Commissioner of Police Novelette Grant told the Observer.

While the IAAU will specifically target corrupt cops, it will also seek to clear the names of police officers who have been wrongly accused of misconduct.

ACP Grant said under the reform and modernisation process outlined in the JCF’s 1998 Corporate Strategy on Crime, the police will have a Professional Standards Branch (PSB) which will pull together disparate units that are already functioning.

The PSB will be the umbrella organisation for four new units that are to come on-stream shortly.

Along with the IAAU, the new units are:

. the Legal Affairs Unit, which will utilise the services of policemen and policewomen who are lawyers;

. the Policy and Research Unit – which will be the amalgamation of the Corporate Strategy Co-ordination Unit and the Planning and Resource Unit; and

. the Performance Monitoring and Auditing Branch.

For years, said ACP Grant, corruption has formed part of general investigations within the force. Now it needs a special focus.

“We now recognise that investigating police misconduct and even corruption cannot be done in a general way. It takes a special kind of investigation to investigate police corruption and the Commissioner and the rank of the JCF are committed to that,” she said.

ACP Grant, who heads the Reform and Modernisation arm of the Corporate Strategy Department, said the formation of the unit was recommended as the best option after analyses of the various units examining police misconduct.

Public education, the senior cop stressed, would be a vital component of the unit’s attempts to weed out corruption within the Force.

“One of the things that we are trying to say to the public, is that when the police approach you with a consideration not to enforce the law, resist and say no and complain loudly,” she said, adding that the unit will also seek to exonerate police officers who have been wrongly accused of corruption.

Many members of the Force have been wrongly labelled, and or perceived to be corrupt, ACP Grant said.

“Investigations will therefore clear or catch corrupt cops,” she explained.

There have been several initiatives and units proposed and/or launched over the years to help curb major crimes, fight criminal gangs and rein in corruption in the society in general.

In his budget speech on April 27, 2004, for example, Prime Minister P J Patterson announced the National Investigative Authority, a separate entity from the JCF that would draw on resources outside of the Force. Supported by Scotland Yard, the unit would be structured to “provide public accountability reports to satisfy the imperatives of transparency”.

On May 17, Information Minister Burchell Whiteman said Cabinet had instructed that the appropriate legislation be drafted and the necessary amendments made to existing laws for the NIA to take effect. Since then, very little has been said about the unit.

Then there was the National Security Strategy that was to have gone before Cabinet this September. Headed by Rear Admiral Peter Brady, the NSS was to identify main threats to security and economic development.

However, some aspects of the National Intelligence Bureau, mandated to coordinate activities of all existing investigative units across all police divisions, have been put in place in St James, South St Catherine, Manchester and St Andrew South.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Latest News, News
WATCH: Gov’t to provide $20 million for repairs at Buff Bay Fire Station
May 30, 2025
PORTLAND, Jamaica – The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is to disburse $20 million for emergency repairs at the Buff Bay Fire S...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Rivaldo Marshall reinstated, books NCAA spot in 800m
Latest News, Sports
Rivaldo Marshall reinstated, books NCAA spot in 800m
May 30, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former NCAA indoor champion Rivaldo Marshall of the University of Arkansas, who won an appeal against his disqualification in the ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Latest News, News
Holness commissions $81.5 million Forest Hill Solar Park
May 30, 2025
The $81.5-million Forest Hill Solar Park, which will result in millions in annual energy savings for the National Water Commission (NWC), was commissi...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaican film ‘Stinky Mango’ wins big at Diversity in Cannes showcase
Entertainment, Latest News
Jamaican film ‘Stinky Mango’ wins big at Diversity in Cannes showcase
May 30, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican-Bulgarian director and writer Ina Sotirova has made national film history with her short film Stinky Mango, which won bes...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Freelancer Michael ‘Macky’ Mclean remembered as ‘versatile newsman’
Latest News, News
Freelancer Michael ‘Macky’ Mclean remembered as ‘versatile newsman’
May 30, 2025
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Veteran journalists, family and friends gathered on Friday to honour the life and legacy of former freelancer Michael ‘Macky’ ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Tishauna Mullings empowers young minds through Little Genius initiative
Latest News, News
Tishauna Mullings empowers young minds through Little Genius initiative
May 30, 2025
Ten tiny yet powerful voices of children aged eight to 11 years echoed confidently across the stage, demonstrating their debating skills and talent wi...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Deportee, Ricky Ten to drop tracks on the ‘Melodies Riddim’
Entertainment, Latest News
Deportee, Ricky Ten to drop tracks on the ‘Melodies Riddim’
BY KEDIESHA PERRY Observer writer 
May 30, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Deportee and Ricky Ten, two artistes on the Akbar Record Label out of Boscobel, St Mary, are set to drop separate singles on the M...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Bee alert: US police issue warning after 250 million insects escape
International News, Latest News
Bee alert: US police issue warning after 250 million insects escape
May 30, 2025
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — A truck crash that set 250 million bees free has sparked warnings in the western United States (US), with police te...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct