A national newspaper’s August 15, 2023 headline read ‘Bunting wants JCF top brass held accountable for crime wave’.

Instructively, the article said, “Former National Security Minister Peter Bunting is sharply criticising the Jamaica Constabulary Force [JCF] for failing to ensure accountability for its senior members at a time when Jamaica has recorded 854 murders, more than half of the 1,498 murders recorded for 2022.”

The incontrovertible fact is that Bunting is absolutely correct and spot on with his erudite comments. It is the constables, corporals, and sergeants of the JCF who are all being harshly criticised for the country’s out-of-control murder, lottery scamming, cybercrimes, drug-trading, and gang-related crimes, while the officer corps face very little criticism from public and private sector leaders.

As I recently stated, fearlessly, openly, and clearly, on a radio talk show which contacted me to comment on the country’s serious crime and murder rate, the officer corps and managers of the JCF are not being held accountable in the way that they should for the deadly crime wave engulfing the country.

It is imperative that Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson begins to implement a special monitoring and evaluation programme for all serving parish commanders and ensure that they are performing at the required levels, setting crime reduction targets, and being held accountable in this regard.

For example, here in Montego Bay, St James, where over 30 highly organised criminal gangs exist and are in full operation, where is the crime plan from the St James Police Division; divisional intelligence Unit; and Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigations Branch, Montego Bay unit, to infiltrate, arrest the gang leaders and members, bring them before the courts, and have them convicted and their assets seized under the Proceeds of Crimes Act? Clearly there is no strategic plan, programme, and policy to tackle and dismantle these brutal Montego Bay gangs. Some of them, I am told from impeccable sources, are responsible for illegally importing huge amounts of cocaine into St James and western Jamaica.

I am a firm supporter of Commissioner Anderson and assistant commissioner of police for the Area One Police Division Clifford Chambers; however, we need positive, strategic, and sustained police and army action now to thoroughly investigate, apprehend, and arrest members of the 30-plus, well-organised gangs. I have stated this on the above-mentioned radio talk show and I am restating it here: Citizens and businesses are being negatively impacted by the escalating crime problem causing murder, bloodshed and mayhem across St James.

I have also publicly called for a Montego Bay Crime Summit with National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang and religious, civic, and business leaders of Montego Bay to allow these leaders to formally articulate their various concerns and opinions about the serious and devastating crime problems in Montego Bay and to strategise a way forward in terms of a properly funded and organised crime and murder reduction plan for St James.

I respectfully appeal to the hard-working National Security Minister Chang to organise this well-needed Montego Bay Crime Summit with the leaders and I will certainly make my input as well. Esteemed public commentator and Montego Bay business leader Lloyd B Smith could co-chair the event.

Additionally, Opposition spokesman on National Security Bunting has publicly called on Commissioner Anderson to expeditiously and judiciously address the interdiction of Police Corporal Rohan James. I, too, as a citizen of this country and one who closely follows national security issues and policies, in the interest of justice, appeal to Commissioner Anderson to ensure that Corporal James’s interdiction is dealt with within the next 14 days.

I am of the opinion that he should apologise to Commissioner Anderson, warned for his comments, and be reinstated as Jamaica Police Federation chairman. He has been a very vocal, effective, eloquent, and up-to-date federation chairman, who has represented the rank-and-file police officers exceptionally well.

I thank Bunting for his eloquent, spot on, and factual comments as per that news report and wish him well.

National Security Minister Chang also has my full support. He is of impeccable integrity, character, and morals and I am thankful that Prime Minister Andrew Holness kept him on as national security minister. He now needs further support from the Cabinet and more funding in order for the security forces to make greater tangible inroads to reduce the islandwide crime and murder rates.

Robert Dalley is an opinion writer and public commentator with a wide interest in national security and governmental and political affairs. Send comments to robertdalley50@aol.com