Policing in Jamaica is a tough and thankless job. In 2016 there were 1,350 murders, well over the total recorded in 2015, which was 1,192. Although some crimes trended downward, the overall sentiments of citizens seem to be that 2016 was another bad year for the rule of law, civility, peace, and safety. The year 2014 was the least ugly year on record in the last 10 years for violent crimes, particularly murder, and we embraced the fleeting hope that it marked a turning point. But alas!

How does a commissioner of police or minister of national security set targets for murders? How many deaths are acceptable? Fewer than 1,200, fewer than 1,000, or fewer than 600? The very question is jarring.

The job of the new commissioner will not be easy, and unless he or she is a revolutionary leader, that person is unlikely to make a major impact on the crime situation in Jamaica. Nonetheless, I offer seven suggestions that could possibly enable the new commissioner to make a major impact on crime.

(1) Focus on root causes, not symptoms

The police benefited from an extensive analysis of root causes of crime with the support of partners. The analysis is captured in a 2011 document called the ‘Three-Year Anti-Gang Strategy’. That strategy was never fully implemented. The new commissioner would do well to review that document and act on its recommendations.

The police know the communities that are the major perpetrators of crimes. These are mainly in north-west St James, central Westmoreland, central Clarendon, central and northern St Catherine, as well as parts of central Manchester (as an emerging hot spot). Criminals migrate or operate from different areas depending on the pattern of police pressure. Having identified the trouble spots, the police, with the support of other agencies, should target each of those communities with “end-to-end, wrap-around development support services” — to quote violence-prevention expert Courtney Brown, formerly of the Ministry of National Security. The effort must be targeted at youth in those communities to reduce their risk of gang involvement, while neutralising — through consistent police presence, arrests, and lawful incarceration — those who have committed crimes.

(2) Enter a pact with the minister of national security on the crime plan

National security minister Robert “Bobby” Montague’s request that the new commissioner should come to the job with a crime plan is somewhat flawed, as it is based on the assumption that the person is already in a position to know all the inner workings of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to be able to put that plan together. A preferred assumption would be that the person will need time to craft that plan, thus one of the first deliverables should be a crime plan — perhaps within 90 days of assuming office. To require the applicant to come with the plan would give an unfair advantage to Deputy Commissioner of Police Novelette Grant.

But having established the mechanisms for the plan, an equally important component would be the “By whom” column of the action plan. There are some things that the commissioner cannot accomplish without ministerial support. I therefore recommend that the commissioner should enter a pact with the minister of national security for explicit, time-sensitive deliverables for which the minister would be responsible with respect to technical, material, and policy support. In that way, the minister and the commissioner would hold each other mutually accountable. The sense that many citizens have, as expressed in online comments, is that the minister wants to hold the commissioner accountable but is not eager, himself, to be held accountable.

(3) Recruit highly trained university graduates to work in key areas

The JCF had a graduate entry programme that has not worked as well as it might have, due in part to the politics of the organisation (which has a pecking order) as well as the working conditions within the JCF. Crime fighting is a highly technical undertaking these days. Disrupting gangs and their operations requires the use of intelligence and technology as well as sophisticated strategies that are ahead of the criminals. To address this need the JCF will have to recruit people who can reason at a deep level, people trained in logical thinking, but who are also street smart.

I recall a grieving family member saying the police are only good at “rolling out yellow tape”. While this statement is not true, it reflects a perception that the police are not skilled in the areas of police work that require higher-order thinking skills. The new commissioner needs to include in his or her plan a strategy for attracting a larger constituency of sharp minds.

(4) Focus on prevention and strengthen detection capabilities

Compared to other developing societies, Jamaica’s use of crime prevention and detection technologies is relatively low. In addition to having sharp and incisive thinkers, the JCF will need a much wider and more robust network of crime prevention and detection technologies such as interlinked closed circuit television networks, voice and face recognition systems, licence plate recognition software linked back to databases of origin, bullet identification software, and big data analytics platforms. There is a vast array of expensive and highly effective tools available, so it is crucial to choose those that are not only affordable, but for which the technical capacity exists to use them. Thus the recruiting system needs to be revolutionised.

(5) Buck the system

Retired Commissioner Dr Carl Williams had made the elimination of corruption one of his main objectives, and his appointment was applauded by the international community partly due to him being assessed as having a track record of strong anti-corruption. But the police force still has corrupt elements, old ways of doing things, consumes large volumes of financial resources, is highly stratified by rank, and is notoriously inefficient in its use of resources. The new commissioner will need to have the courage and skill to get rid of the archaic ways of doing business in the JCF and win hearts and minds in the process.

But there is an even more ‘subversive’ manner in which the new commissioner will need to ‘buck’ the system. While being open to suggestions from everyone whose motive is not influenced by self-serving intentions, the commissioner must insist on running the JCF and not allow him/herself to be pulled hither and thither by special interests — be they local or international, political or financial.

The tendency in Jamaica, for far too long, has been that there are subtle forms of interference in the police force, and the new commissioner must be strong enough to stand against every form of interference. There should be a healthy distance of the minister from operations, and the minister must at all times defer to the commissioner on operational matters, whether they relate to transfers, promotions, asset deployment for tactical or strategic activities, etc. Unless this is done, the new commissioner’s tenure will be marked by questions about his or her bona fides as a professional.

(6) Improve the working conditions

Many police stations are in a deplorable state. It is unimaginable how men and women work under those conditions. But some of the blame must go to the police themselves, who often do not care for their surroundings as much as they should. If the public is to feel that the police are professionals, then their working conditions must meet certain basic standards, and they must see themselves having a role in it. Unhealthy working conditions have the effect of leading to indifference and low morale, and fall into the category of what social psychologists call a dissatisfier. Clean conditions by themselves will not necessarily motivate and inspire improved performance, but unpleasant conditions can lead to dissatisfaction and loss of enthusiasm for work.

(7) Assume the role of building for a future minus you

The new commissioner should be focused on the JCF, not his or her own future. There is a temptation we all face of wanting to be great by making a name for ourselves. I submit that the commissioner must eschew all notions of seeking to make a name. The Bible warns us that the one who seeks to save his life (promote self and advance personal interests) will lose it (fail).

The new commissioner will need to be selfless and resist the temptation to be self-serving and also guard against the mindset that he/she comes to the job with all the answers. Though a commander, the commissioner will need to have the mindset of a servant and the ways of a shepherd. A shepherd protects, defends, and reassures. And, for the true shepherd, the mission includes guarding against self-serving political alliances.

I wish the new commissioner well.

Dr Canute S Thompson is a certified management consultant and lecturer in educational policy, planning and leadership in the School of Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona. He is an author and co-founder of the Caribbean Leadership Re-Imagination Initiative. Send comments to the Observer orcanutethompson1@gmail.com.