THE number of cops arrested for corruption more than doubled last year when compared to 2007.

According to data obtained from the Police Anti-Corruption Branch, 53 cops – all males – were arrested up to December 1 last year for various breaches of the Anti Corruption Act.

For all of 2007, 23 cops – including two females – were arrested for engaging in corrupt acts. The group included one inspector, a sergeant and two corporals.

“One gazetted officer, five sergeants and 10 corporals are among the group of policemen arrested since the start

of the year (2008),” Assistant Commissioner Justin Felice told the Observer in December.

Among the group were also 28 constables, two special corporals, five special constables and one district constable.

The police said that 80 per cent of the arrests were for breaches of the Corruption Act. The other cases ranged from robbery, extortion and carnal abuse.

“An intense set of operations and investigations has been reaping some amount of success to stamp corruption out of the police force,” ACP Felice told the Observer.

He said despite the number of arrests, there was still a lot more to be done.

“There is more to be done and for this to happen it will take the co-oporation of the police and Jamaicans to achieve the results,” Felice said.

He said based on investigations, there were only a few policemen and women who were giving the Jamaica Constabulary Force a bad name as the majority of the cops were determined and working hard to eliminate crime.