A battle is now brewing between Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake and Police Officers’ Association (POA) Chairman Senior Superintendent Wayne Cameron after the top cop on Monday directed that the chair of the POA be vacated and said the current holder will no longer be granted audience with the police high command.

Blake in a release to Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) officers, also said the current POA chairman will “no longer be granted audience with the high command” and is not permitted to represent the JCF outside of official duties.

But Cameron, in a very strident response, told IRIE FM News that the commissioner is acting outside of his authority.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that the commissioner of police has absolutely no authority to remove a POA chairman from his position. He has no such authority,” Cameron told the radio station.

He noted that the POA chairman is selected from the floor of the association’s conference at which more than two-thirds of the officers are present, and that, he said, was done at the last conference in November 2022.

“So the commissioner is acting outside of his authority. The Police Officers’ Association does not represent the commissioner of police. We represent from the rank of assistant superintendent to the rank of deputy commissioner and so the commissioner is not a part of our outfit at all and he should not be putting out anything of this nature,” Cameron said.

In his statement Dr Blake said: “The high command is concerned that reports of alleged indiscipline and misconduct by the chairman may compromise the conduct of the POA, particularly at a time when the organisation is required to engage in highly technical salary and benefits negotiations with the Government of Jamaica.”

He did not give specifics of the allegations against Cameron; however, he said the high command’s position was reinforced by reports of the executive’s failure to meet to conduct the business of the POA, as well as to convene a general meeting over several years.

The release said the commissioner’s action was exercised under his powers of superintendence over the police force, and was “necessary to safeguard the interests of all gazetted officers”.

It also said that, in the interim, the remaining members of the POA executive will appoint a chairman
pro tem who will lead the POA into a special general meeting for the purpose of electing a new executive in accordance with established conventions.

The high command also said it will provide support, where necessary, to facilitate a smooth and timely transition.

Cameron, in his interview with IRIE FM, said he had no discussion with Blake on the matter.

At the same time, he told the radio station that the commissioner has cited him for unprofessional conduct “on a particular matter… this is against the background that I have written some concerns against the commissioner of police to the Police Service Commission, and if I have written a grievance against the commissioner of police I would expect that to be heard.

“So this is where we are at. So apparently the commissioner has drawn battle lines that I’m well prepared for,” Cameron said.

BLAKE… POA chairman will no longer be granted audience with the high command