It is universally acknowledged that the single most important function of any decent Government is the protection and security of its people. It can also be acknowledged that Jamaican governments since 1962 have performed dismally where this important function of the State is concerned.

Part of the problem is that violent crimes have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve. A significant aspect of the problem, of course, lies in the politicisation of crime fighting in Jamaica and the attendant misallocation of resources in fighting it. Also, in the words of the Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, we have grown to live with violence as a normal occurrence.

For the first time in a long time one gets the distinct feeling that the leadership of the security high command is beginning to get a grip on the problem. I say this with a great deal of caution, but the states of public emergency in parts of the island, and the implementation of zones of special operations, have given some hope that the crime monster can be tamed and brought under control. There has been a reduction in murders, with the expectation that this trend will continue.

It is noticeable that those who live in the areas of these enhanced crime-fighting measures have welcomed them. And they should know, as they are the ones who live under the constant threat of annihilation from marauding gunmen who have no respect for law and order. I am not surprised, therefore, that many citizens in these areas wish these measures to continue. Some lament that they should have been applied earlier.

It is clear that these measures cannot become normative as there is the risk of future abuse of the special powers they guarantee. The Opposition is right in calling attention to this as are the human rights advocates. There must be a measured approach that balances the need to secure people’s fundamental rights while keeping them safe.

I believe that the security forces have been quite mindful of this and that is why we do not hear much criticism about the abuse of citizens’ rights in the areas under consideration. We have come a far from the long shadows cast by the dreaded Suppression of Crimes Act which, in my view, is the single most important legislation to have advanced the cause of a decadent Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

The leadership of the security forces must be congratulated for their measured approach to crime-fighting. Despite criticisms from some quarters, including the parliamentary Opposition, it is refreshing to see that, increasingly, members of the force are being seized of the need to preserve the rights of citizens while taking the fight to the violence producers.

It cannot be lost on even the cursory observer that the command leadership is effectively in the hands of men who have had military training. There is the chief of defence staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Major General Rocky Meade, and the present Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson is a former head of the army.

It is interesting that in a recent survey, over 50 per cent of those polled believed that the army was best able to cauterise corruption in Jamaica. People seemed willing to concede fundamental freedoms to them in this fight. While I do not agree with this perception and conclusion, one can find some sympathy with the view that corruption has been so endemic a problem in Jamaica that one cannot rely on the traditional political arrangements to end it. For many, a radical solution through the military may not be a bad thing. We need to tread carefully here and be very wary of what we wish for.

It is clear that the culture of the JCF and that of the military are quite distinct. The training and disposition of military personnel are significantly different. The JCF, understandably, interacts with the public on a more regular basis than does the military. This is one of the reasons I do not agree with the military being given arrest powers when they go on joint police-military operations.

If what we are beginning to see is a greater sense of discipline on the part of our security forces then this is to be welcomed and applauded. Long may this be the case. There certainly seems to be an enhanced approach in the application of strategic intelligence in fighting crime. I am heartened to see that the prime minister is now looking at Israel to help in this regard. This is a matter for which this column has repeatedly called and which can bear fruit for the country.

To the chagrin of some, Commissioner Anderson has shunned the public spotlight in his approach to his work. One gets the distinct feeling that he is working assiduously behind the scenes, quietly and imperturbably encouraging his personnel and applying strategies in crime-fighting that are proving workable.

He has called for extension of the states of emergency so that the police can have a better chance to keep crime at a minimum, especially going into the busy Christmas season. He and the high command appreciate what is on the ground and how important it is in a normalised criminal environment to keep up a sustained presence of the security forces in troubled areas. Those who do not live in these areas bleat louder than those who do. But these emergency powers are welcomed in a society that has been under the gun for too long. It will take time and more inconvenience of the citizens to return some semblance of equilibrium to the society.

We should not be in any hurry to end them in knee-jerk reactions to human right demands which ignore the suffering of communities that have lost their fundamental freedoms to warlords. I accept that they cannot become normative, but the increased presence of the security forces in particular areas is something that the criminal and would-be criminal detest. More boots are needed on the ground, and there is great urgency in moving the number of personnel in the JCF from its present number of over 13,000 to 20,000 at a greater pace than we are now seeing. The pressure must be kept up on the criminals. We are getting there despite the myriad problems that plague the force. We must never lose faith in our capacity to get the job done.

Dr Raulston Nembhard is a priest and social commentator. Send comments to the Observer or stead6655@aol.com.