Police Commissioner apologises for exposure of CISOCA records
KINGSTON, Jamaica- Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake has issued an apology following the exposure of sensitive records belonging to the police’s Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA at its old headquarters on Ruthven Road, St Andrew.
Blake, in a media release on Friday, described the incident as gross negligence stating: “This, colleagues, cannot be described as anything less than gross negligence on our part as an organisation, especially at a time like now when our transformation is at such an advanced stage and moving at such a rapid pace.”
The unit has come under public scrutiny for being negligent in handling sensitive data after documents and old station files were reportedly found scattered at the abandoned location.
Blake in his response explained that: “Our CISOCA’s office was situated at 2A Ruthven Road for over 20 years. In 2024, the office was relocated to a new facility at Upper Lady Musgrave Road in St. Andrew.”
The release added that during the transition, some records that could not be accommodated at the new location were “securely locked away” in a temporary storage facility, which was later vandalised.
Acknowledging the organisational oversight that allowed such an incident to occur, Blake said: “For that, as the person with command responsibility over the JCF, I apologise not only to the clients of CISOCA but also to Jamaica.”
He added that: “Instances of blunders like these are what give fuel to the false narratives and open the floodgate of unfair character slandering of the JCF, by describing us as lacking common sense, and the understanding of our obligations and responsibilities.”
CISOCA is a unit of the Jamaican Constabulary that investigates sexual offences and child abuse. Its mission is to encourage victims to report abuse, investigate allegations, and help victims rehabilitate.