Senior officials from both the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) and the Financial Investigations Division (FID) have revealed that only a small number of applicants seeking to join the agencies pass the strict vetting processes of background checks and polygraph testing.

Colonel Desmond Edwards, MOCA’s director general, told this week’s Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange that approximately 20 per cent of applicants fail polygraph testing, while many of those who pass are later ruled out during background checks and other stages of the vetting process, despite meeting academic requirements.

Edwards explained that the stringent screening process is necessary, given the sensitive nature of the agency’s work, which involves investigation of organised and financial crimes, as well as corruption.

“All MOCA persons go through positive vetting. So we do polygraph, we do background checks, and then we do annual polygraphs for every single person at the agency. We have a very well-established polygraph unit. We have 16 polygraphers, so we have a team that can do the integrity assurance for our personnel, as well as other government agencies, and for the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) and others. So it is critical and we suffer a lot with our capacity to onboard people quickly because sometimes they don’t make it,” he explained.

He noted that while the process can slow recruitment, it is designed to protect the integrity of investigations and the credibility of the agency.

According to Edwards, the agency often has to review several applicants before identifying one suitable candidate, even after academic qualifications are met.

“If we are recruiting, we may have to look at six or seven persons before we find one who meets all the requirements — not just academically, but in terms of integrity and suitability for the role,” he said.

The FID faces similar challenges, with Chief Technical Director Dennis Chung noting that background checks frequently uncover issues that disqualify otherwise qualified applicants.

“We see cases where young people apply and, when the background checks are done, you find there may have been some issue — [for example] missing funds or involvement in scamming,” Chung said.

Chung explained that while interest in joining the agency remains strong, only a small number of applicants ultimately meet the full set of requirements needed to work in financial investigations.

“When everything is considered, maybe about 20 per cent of applicants are persons we can actually take,” he said.

Garth Williams, brand communications specialist at the FID, said the high attrition rate reflects the realities of recruiting for agencies tasked with combating complex financial crimes, rather than a lack of interest or ability among applicants.

“You get good people applying, but then you realise they’re not necessarily the best fit based on certain requirements,” Williams said.

The officials stressed that while the rigorous vetting process can slow recruitment, it remains essential to maintaining public confidence, particularly as financial crimes become more sophisticated and technology-driven.

They added that safeguarding integrity at the recruitment stage is critical to ensuring that investigations remain credible and that the agencies can continue to function effectively in Jamaica’s evolving crime environment.

Financial Investigations Division Chief Technical Director Dennis Chung sharing with Observer editors and reporters at the Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange on January 19, 2026 that while interest in joining the agency remains strong, only a small number of applicants ultimately meet the full set of requirements needed to work in financial investigations.

Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) Director General Colonel Desmond Edwards speaking during the Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange on January 19, 2026.