OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Outgoing chairman of the Jamaica Police Federation Sergeant Cecil McCalla has informed Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang that legal fees for the case the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) intends to take to the Privy Council will fall in his lap.

Following a ruling by the Court of Appeal that INDECOM does not have the power under the INDECOM Act, to arrest, charge or prosecute any member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) or any other person, INDECOM indicated it is considering sending the matter to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.

Sergeant McCalla, while addressing the 75th annual joint central conference of the Police Federation in Ocho Rios on Wednesday, said that the federation, the Police Officers’ Association and the District Constables’ Association have covered the legal fees in the past, which was very expensive.

“This time around, Minister, this one is on you,” he said.

While members of the JCF celebrate the landmark ruling made against INDECOM, Sergeant McCalla is calling on his colleagues to carry out their duties effectively so they can put the commission out of business.

“Let us collectively put INDECOM out of business — not in a bad way — [but] by being so professional when carrying out our duties, by being so careful in constructing our statements and our reports. Don’t leave any loopholes for you to be charged… because investigators of INDECOM are earning more than my good detectives,” he said to loud cheers from the delegates.

McCalla said the police have no problems with the existence of an oversight body or with INDECOM, because all the reports the organisation has submitted to Parliament have portrayed the JCF positively. However, he said the perception out there of a “bad, wicked” police force is not the reality.

He charged delegates to let members of the JCF know that their work is appreciated.

“Convey to them how grateful we are for us as an organisation, to be operating with a 19th century infrastructure fighting 21st century crimes. Convey to them how grateful we are for the hard work and commitment that they are out there putting in, to preserve the lives of people in this country. I remind us also that police lives matter,” Sergeant McCalla said.