WHEN Joe Williams was appointed commissioner of police in 1982 there was little surprise as he had long been known as a policeman who supported the Edward Seaga-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Similarly, when former Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas was selected by the People’s National Party (PNP) to contest the St Ann North Western seat in 2010, it was also not a surprise to many.

But, there are many other former Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) members who did not appear partisan who have entered representational politics.

According to political commentator and veteran journalist Lloyd B Smith, cops entering representational politics is a natural progression as it’s an extension of the service-driven job they held for years.

His comments come as Steve McGregor, a retired senior superintendent of police, was presented last Wednesday by People’s National Party President Mark Golding as Member of Parliament (MP) aspirant for Kingston Central in the next general election.

“Being in the constabulary force is one way of serving the public, and if a police officer is a very involved, community-oriented person, as some have been, then it’s a natural progression for them to move into the political arena. On the other hand, it could be that some of the police officers are simply seeking to broaden their career path and perhaps want to get some kind of national recognition for themselves,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer.

Among the retired cops who have joined the political fray are the late Assistant Commissioner Owen Stephenson (JLP); retired Senior Superintendent of Police Newton Amos (JLP); Paul Thompson (JLP); Peter Abrahams (JLP); Dave Hume-Brown (JLP), and Homer Davis (JLP).

The majority of these lawmen were successful in their political bids, which Smith said could have resulted from their treatment of citizens during their time in JCF.

“I think a lot has to do with their reputation when they were police officers. If, for example, there was the perception that they were, let’s say, corrupt or were too hard-nosed, and in some instances cruel to persons in the community… because, as you well know, police officers are never usually trusted, so there’s a trust factor that would play a lot as to whether or not they would be able to go over the threshold and become an effective politician,” Smith reasoned.

He added, however, that a bad reputation could have easily resulted in failure.

“On the other hand, if there is this concern that when you were a police officer you beat up mi son, you do all sorts of things that were not, in their mind, suitable and professional, then they would perhaps hesitate. So, I think the trust factor would be the most important thing, as well as the extent to which that particular police officer, before going into politics, developed a meaningful relationship with the community,” Smith added.

The late Assistant Commissioner Stephenson, described as the epitome of service during his funeral in 2012, served for 25 years as councillor for the Greendale, Lauriston and Sligoville divisions in St Catherine, and announced he would not seek re-election months before his passing.

Comparatively, Jamaica’s 25th police commissioner, the late Lucius Thomas’s career in representational politics, was short-lived. He resigned as police commissioner in 2007 and in 2010 was selected by the People’s National Party to contest the St Ann North Western seat. However, five months before the December 2011 General Election, Thomas stepped away from representational politics due to health concerns. He died in 2023 at the age of 73.

Twice voted as MP in Hanover Eastern, Hume-Brown has experienced success in politics. Meanwhile, Davis has climbed the ranks from councillor of the Anchovy/Cambridge Division and mayor of Montego Bay, and is now the MP for St James Southern and a minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Thompson is the councillor for the Manchioneal Division in Portland, and was unanimously voted as mayor of Port Antonio for a second term, while Peter Abrahams remains the councillor for Bog Walk Division in St Catherine, after being voted to the position in 2012. Abrahams was selected in 2016 to represent the JLP in St Catherine North Central but had stepped aside, citing personal reasons.

In contrast, Amos has had some ill-luck in his political career. He has lost to the representatives of the PNP in both the general and local government elections since 2012 — though he reduced the vote lead each time. He is now the JLP’s caretaker in St Catherine North Western.

“I think the seat that Newton [Amos] ran in was relatively a safe PNP seat and as such, he would have had a high mountain to climb,” Smith told the Sunday Observer.

“Politics is not just about your popularity, it’s also about organisation and who you have around you to effectively carry out that organisation. So, it’s instructive to note that he did not lose by a very large margin, which would have meant that he made serious inroads into a constituency that, over the years, has been more inclined to vote for the PNP,” the political commentator said.

Smith encouraged Amos to “stay the course” but cited his age as a possible deterrent for the cop-turned-politician.

THOMAS… career in representational politics was short-lived

Retired Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor (centre) is greeted by Comrades last Wednesday at a meeting in Kingston Central where he was officially introduced as the People’s National Party’s candidate for the next general election. (Naphtali Junior)

SMITH…politics is not just about your popularity, it’s also about organisation and who you have around you to effectively carry out that organisation

DAVIS… has risen through the ranks to state minister