Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin (left foreground), the commissioner of police, and Public Defender Earl Witter exchange views after a press conference at the Police Officers' Club in St. Andrew yesterday. It was Admiral Lewin's first press conference since taking up the post of commissioner of police on Monday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

One of the immediate moves of newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, will be to shut down some police stations across the island, which he believes are inadequate and ineffective.

"You have police stations all over the place and most of them don't make one good station. We're going to shut some down," Admiral Lewin told a press conference of senior police personnel, journalists and other public and private sector officials.

"The fact of the matter is, by so doing, we are going to put more policemen out there," he continued. "There are too many policemen guarding stations doing administrative duties which really are eating up manpower. And I give you one example: There is a station in Mountain View, Rollington Town, Franklyn Town, Stadium, Vineyard Town [and] Rockfort, all within a five-mile radius."

While not indicating which stations would be affected, the police commissioner said the move was firmly on the agenda and would be further developed.

Speaking at his first press conference at the Police Officers' Club yesterday, the commissioner also blasted the culture of corruption in the force and outlined his plans to change it.

"When one mentions the word 'police', I am sure that one of the first things that comes to mind is the word 'corruption'. My first act on my first day was to sign and promulgate the anti-corruption plan for the Jamaica Constabulary Force."

Endemic corruption

In his foreword to the plan, the commissioner stated that Jamaicans had a perception of endemic corruption in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which bred a lack of trust in the force.

"For these reasons, tackling corruption is and will remain one of my highest priorities for the JCF. The challenge is how to make the JCF more resistant to and intolerant of unlawful, unethical and unprofessional behaviour," he said.

"The primary aim of this Year One plan is to create a real fear of detection. Senior officers will champion this Year One plan and, in addition, have individual appraisal objectives linked to the anti-corruption strategy."

The plan is being spearheaded by Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice, with assistance from a steering group of representatives from across the JCF.

The Commissioner is also planning to move area and divisional commands from the Commissioner's office to their respective zones.

"I find that there is too much concentrated at the Office of Commissioner. You can't stay in Kingston and take care of what is happening in Montego Bay properly and I am on a concerted plan to devolve to the area commanders and divisions your full authority and responsibility. They will be held accountable, you can't to do it step aside," he said.

Giving an historical context of the origins of the JCF, being an export of the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the United Kingdom, which was designed to put up riots and insurrections, Rear Admiral Lewin likened the JCF to a paramilitary organisation which fights violence with superior violence. He, however, said that, under his tenure, this would change.

"The new philosophy will have at its core the community and a provision of a service to the community, where the rights and dignity of citizens are respected and the rule of law prevails. "It is a policing philosophy that must be accepted and embraced by every member of the force beginning with the leadership," he added.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com