Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

( L - R ) Heywood, Lewin

In an ironic twist, the man who is widely tipped to succeed Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas is already at Mr. Thomas' office. Looking dapper with a bright smile, in his ceremonial uniform, the photograph of Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, outgoing Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), hangs on a wall, almost over the door leading to the spacious office occupied by the Commissioner.

The group photograph, which includes former Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke, Commissioner Thomas and two females, has been hanging there for more than a year, but over the past weeks it has got the attention of many persons who visit the office, especially as the talk on the street that Lewin will be the new boss of the Jamaica Constabulary Force intensifies.

Although Lewin has expressed an interest in the job, at least 40 of the more than 50 senior officers in the JCF with first and second degrees are in various stages of completing application forms, to apply for the job of Police Commissioner.

"We have encouraged quite a number of our senior officers to apply for the job," Chairman of the Police Officers Association, Superintendent Norman Heywood, told The Gleaner.

Little interest

One of the four deputy commissioners who spoke with The Gleaner on Tuesday expressed little interest in applying for the job. "This is like a joke applying, because I am 95 per cent confident that the army chief (Lewin) has already been offered the job," said the deputy commissioner.

The Gleaner has been reliably informed that Rear Admiral Lewin and Director of Elections Danville Walker were approached by the Police Services Commission (PSC).

But a senior government source said they were looking in the direction of Rear Admiral Lewin. He retires from the JDF on Saturday, while Commissioner Thomas retires four days later.

According to Supt. Heywood, the Officer Corps, which comprises 290 officers, from Assistant Superintendent to the Commissioner rank, includes eight attorneys-at-law.

"Right now two of our members are completing their doctorate, plus a number of rank-and-file officers have first and second degrees," said Supt. Heywood.

He noted that it was the said PSC which has authorised the promotion of all officers of the JCF.

"We have so many successful police officers who are on secondment elsewhere. For example, we have a sergeant who is on secondment and he is in charge of the Port Antonio Hospital. He is in charge of senior surgeons and nurses," Heywood stressed.

He noted that there are other officers on secondment as senior managers in companies across the island, as well as some who are on special assignment in Canada, the United States and with the United Nations.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com