File photos
Thomas (left) and Lewin.

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

While Director of Elections Danville Walker says he is ready to take on the job of police commissioner if given the opportunity, he will now have to contend with another army officer for the position.

A source close to the Police Services Commission confirmed on Friday that the Government is looking in the direction of Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, who, within the next two weeks, will retire as Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). The retiring Chief of Staff has served the JDF for at least 35 years.

"That is the direction the Government is looking," another government source told The Sunday Gleaner.

According to the source, Rear Admiral Lewin's main task will be to "clean up" the police force. A similar task was given to former commissioner, Colonel Trevor MacMillan, who took command of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) from 1993-1996.

The vacancy for a Commissioner of police arose following the announcement last week by Commissioner Lucius Thomas that he was retiring from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) at the end of this month.

Among other candidates for the job are Deputy Commissioner Charles Scarlett, Assistant Commissioners Carl Williams, Novelette Grant and Owen Ellington. Reports are that the Police Services Commission will be seriously addressing the integrity of all the applicants.

The Sunday Gleaner has been reliably informed that the new commissioner will take over the reigns of the Jamaica Constabulary Force about mid-November. Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas demits office on October 30. Deputy Commissioner Jevene Bent will act until his successor has been named.

Strong opposition

But the Government's decision to look outside of the JCF for a new police commissioner is being met with strong opposition from rank-and-file members of the force. Chairman of the Police Officers' Association, Superintendent Norman Heywood, said the appointment of an outsider would have negative repercussions on the police force. This view was also shared by Corporal Raymond Wilson, chairman of the Police Federation.

The vacancy for the job of police commissioner is now being advertised and despite persons being shortlisted, Supt. Heywood is encouraging his colleagues to apply for the job.

"I am encouraging all officers who are qualified for the job to apply," states Heywood. "What we would like is for the Police Services Commission to, in appointing a commissioner of police, first look inside the force. Such an appointment must be transparent and be done in such a manner that it would gain the confidence and support of members of the organisation."

Internal support critical

He maintains that the person who is appointed commissioner must gain the confidence of the JCF, arguing that internal support is critical for the success of strategic policies.

He says there are at least 10 highly trained officers who are capable of performing the top job, and who have the capacity to motivate the members of the JCF.

Corporal Wilson concurs: "We believe there are competent Jamaican police officers at the ACP and DCP levels with the requisite skills and expertise to manage the force."

Rear Admiral Lewin had a run-in with Bruce Golding, then Opposition Leader, in 2005. Golding had accused him of playing politics based on Lewin's comment labelling the Jamaica Labour Party's Tivoli Gardens stronghold as the 'mother of all garrisons'. Lewin made the comment at a press conference days after a joint police-military operation was launched in the west Kingston community in pursuit of suspects wanted for the murder of three policemen in 2005.

Golding, the Member of Parliament for the area, branded the JDF chief's comments as "shameful and unworthy of someone in his position". Golding went on to say that the security forces' operation was a fiasco and, as a result, the Chief of Staff chose to demonise Tivoli Gardens to cover their failure.

"We pay the Chief of Staff and we pay the Commissioner of Police to curb crime; we do not pay them to play politics," Golding said then.