Crime has been an issue for decades in this country. The recent spate of murders in the country has, nonetheless, been quite alarming. The memory of the four people having been murdered, including three children from rural high schools, has not faded. The country is basically in a state of standstill as our leaders are not sure how to face this never-ending scourge. However, they should grasp this as a new opportunity to chart the way forward and face this challenge once and for all. But, out of every crisis comes an opportunity, and hence we need to act proactively.

Structure

First, what our leaders need to realise is that, at the very least, we already have the institutions to fight this monster, that is, a functioning police force, the court system and, of course, the prisons. The question one should really ask is, are they effective?

Let us look at the police force, our Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The police have been employed to fight crime on all fronts. We see them on their motorcycles, directing traffic, or issuing tickets to unsuspecting motorists who have disobeyed the rules. We also see them on TV during the nightly news fighting crime. But is the police force allocating its limited resources effectively? One will note that there seems to be more police from the motorised traffic division than those who are mandated to fight crime. The merger with the Island Special Constabulary Force was a wonderful idea, as they now must be assisting more in the traffic division. However, more members of the JCF should be assigned to fighting crime from the motorised division and this would help to alleviate the problem of trying to find extra resources. One could also include the army in the effort.

As part of the re-visioning, the JCF’s motto should also be changed in to add quality and increase its ambit. It could read like this: “To protect and serve the people of Jamaica, no matter class, colour and/or creed.” Recruits would be retrained to learn this new motto and apply its imbedded principles accordingly. The JCF should also merge all its agencies so that shared resources can be obtained from one body. The United States did just that in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. That was why the homeland security arm was formed. We could start a Jamaica homeland security unit too. With this in place we could further attract foreign investors to our shores as business confidence will be bolstered by the presence of a fortified policing unit.

Method

Why is it that we can only report an offence to a specific police station, based on proximity, in one division and not the other? We are still clinging on to outdated methods. If there existed a more integrated and equally equipped force across the country, we could get to the state where we can share information with public bodies, such as the passport office, the narcotics division, etc.

In terms of responsiveness, the police have not been doing well in that department. A few weeks ago I observed a young lady in Half -Way-Tree who was pregnant and experiencing fainting spells. She needed assistance so we stopped a police vehicle. The occupants indicated that we should stop another police vehicle instead. We had to call 119 and the operator who answered indicated on the other line that the police car should return to the area. The marked police vehicle did not return.

What about the dreaded 119 service? Does it really work when it needs to? How often does it work? I called that number at least 24 times one day when I observed a couple who were fighting which seemed as if it was getting extremely violent. When the operator finally answered, no one from the motorised division came. I had to intervene and pursue a solution to the problem myself — at great risk!

Why allocate personnel to monitor if someone is smoking over two ounces of ganja while these same personnel could be fighting more serious crime? Why waste taxpayers’ money on running down illegal taxis on the road who are trying to make a living while we can put these resources to fix the real violent crime problem. I think that we all have our priorities wrong here. We need to prioritise, prioritise and prioritise with our investments.

Way forward

I read an online report by the Ministry of National Security entitled ‘A new era of policing in Jamaica: Transforming the JCF’. While I think that most of the recommendations are sound, I honestly believe that with proper accountability, the goals are achievable. There needs to be proper accountability on the ground so that corruption can be minimised.

The key to a nation’s wealth and success is how it allocates resources effectively in times of scarcity. Yes, the force needs more officers, but we must find ways to effectively deploy the numbers we do have so that the areas most in need are served without completely neglecting other communities.

When President Obama visited Jamaica some weeks ago, I was amazed at the outpouring of the security forces on our streets. The last time I saw so many police personnel in any one area was in 2010 when they ran an operation into Tivoli Gardens. I did not even fathom that we could mobilise so many troops on the ground which encompassed so many security divisions and agencies. It was extremely mind-boggling! With such a massive presence, I thought at one moment that we were the mighty United States of America. No one even dare to train a loaded straw or anything of the sort at the US president. I saw policemen and women patrolling our streets that I have never seen in my life. So why is it then that we can’t control the few criminal elements when they commit these atrocities? Why is it that we can’t find these perpetrators like the Boston bombers in the US? The security forces searched every household until they found the perpetrator (although Boston is much smaller in size). The prime minister and the minister of national security must act now to stop the madness! They should make a televised speech to the nation and let the criminals know that the Government is still in control and will not stop until they are brought to justice. That is part of the problem that we face. We need to take back Jamaica from the criminals. Yes we can!

Daniel Morgan is an accounting officer at the Regional Headquarters of the University of The West Indies. He is also currently pursuing an MBA. Send comments to: dmorgan239@gmail.com