Time is drawing nigh on the 40-year career of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Glenmore Hinds as a serving member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Hinds, who starts pre-retirement leave on Tuesday next, made steady progress through the ranks of the force and worked in many divisions as well as in specialised areas.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer close to his exit, Hinds went through his entire career which started one day before his 18th birthday at the Police Training School in Port Royal to the time when he became deputy commissioner — just a pip away from the top job of commissioner of police.

While recalling his career, a beaming smile, with satisfaction written all over, emerged on Hinds’ face when he recounted the time and how the much vaunted and feared Operation Kingfish came into being, and the successes achieved, chief among which was the capture of the notorious leader of the Spanish Town, St Catherine-based Clansman gang, Donovan “Bulbie” Bennett.

“To better understand and appreciate Operation Kingfish, we have to go back to the years before its actual formation in early 2005.

“In the years 1995 to 2005, Jamaica was seen as a significant transhipment point for drugs coming from South America, with North America being the primary destination. The criminal gangs in operation at the time obtained significant funding from the trans-shipment and sale of drugs primarily cocaine from South America.

“Further, we saw the appearance and subsequent rise of drug mules which helped to increase the coffers of the criminal gangs.

“There was no doubt at the time that the trans-shipment of drugs posed a significant threat to the country, not only to the security of our citizens, but how we were viewed internationally. We were in a crisis at the time and something had to be done to curb this visible and unwanted scourge,” Hinds said.

The recognition that Jamaica had indeed turned into a major drug trans-shipment hub did not elude the country’s three major economic partners and main benefactors — the United States of America, Britain, and Canada.

In what was deemed as a ‘determined effort’ to regain Jamaica’s international status, the JCF, through its Narcotics and Special Branches, joined forces with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the three international partners (USA, Canada, UK) to deal once and for all with the venomous drug trade.

“It was indeed a most strategic alliance. We worked well together and the results began to pour in as many drug dealers, both inside and outside of Jamaica, were brought down and slowly but surely Jamaica regained its good name,” the retiring DCP opined.

Out of this experience of working together with the JDF and the country’s international partners and the success gained, the policymakers at the time took the decision to shift gears from the drug trade and place it firmly on the criminal gangs, and the organised crime syndicates leading to the formation of the Operation Kingfish taskforce.

“I was one of the persons tasked to develop the concept and standard operating procedures and was also asked to lead Operation Kingfish, as well as maintaining my position as head of the Special Branch.

“Kingfish started from scratch and for weeks we only had a staff compliment of four. Our mandate was clear and that was to dismantle the major organised criminal gangs and we went about fulfilling our task with a new sense of purpose and a new vision.

“We were able to fashion a strategy that saw us looking specifically at building cases; we were very meticulous and patient and that found expression in the fact that nearly all the cases we brought before the courts ended with convictions. Eventually, our moudus of conducting investigations became a benchmark for others to follow and the name Kingfish, which was heavily publicised through our communication apparatus, became well known and for certain among the criminals the Kingfish name was feared,” Hinds revealed in his interview with the Sunday Observer.

Then came the moment which Hinds lists as one of his most rewarding during his 40 years in the JCF — the day (October 30, 2005) when the leader of the Clansman Gang “Bulbie” met his demise in Tanaky, Clarendon.

“Bulbie” was seen as a phantom: everybody knew about ‘him, but not many really knew him, and even fewer were allowed to communicate with him.

“There were several efforts made before Kingsfish to capture him but without success, so we decided to be patient, putting the details together while building an air- tight case.

“Bulbie was a very elusive, street smart, and very crafty criminal, and it was a real challenge just to get to him as he had strong community support. In Clarendon, for example, where he met his demise, he was known to many as Mr Brown — a returning resident from Britain.

“Kingfish through painstaking investigation got to know his methodology, the way he did things; we compiled the evidence using all the available technology possible and then chose our time and where to confront him.

“When the Kingfish team arrived at his then place of abode, he responded by firing at us along with his cohorts and we responded.

“What I can say is that even if “Bulbie” did not open fire on the police team, and we were able to arrest and bring him before the courts, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we would have secured a conviction,” Hinds said.

The Sunday Observer for the benefit of readers reproduces a part of the original report on the capture of Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett.

On October 30, 2005, the security forces swooped down on a palatial home in the rustic district of Tanaky, nestled in the hills of Clarendon, where the nation’s most wanted man, Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett, had been holed up.

Bennett, the then leader of the notorious Clansman gang, had been on the police wanted list for over a decade for murder, shootings, extortion and other serious crimes.

He, however, had managed to elude the police and take command of the murderous Spanish Town-based gang which ran a massive multimillion-dollar extortion ring.

The police report that as they approached the house they were fired on, and during a shoot-out, Bennett and his driver, identified only as ‘Nathan’, were killed.

Police say they found Bulbie clutching a .50 Desert Eagle pistol and a Ruger pistol was taken from the body of his driver. A quantity of cash and a large amount of jewellery were also found in the house. The Police also said he had involvement in more than 100 murders.

During the days following his death, members of Bulbie’s gang and persons loyal to him rioted by blocking roads in and around Spanish Town, firing on the Spanish Town Police Station. Two cops were shot and injured during the rioting and a Jamaica Urban Transit Company bus, a motorcar, and a section of the bus terminus were set on fire.