Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Felice

Drawing parallels between the Northern Ireland crime experience and Jamaica's, Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice believes the current drive by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to expel corrupt cops from the force and improve public trust can be achieved.

Felice, head of the JCF's Anti-corruption Unit, said that in over 30 years of trouble in Northern Ireland, more than 3,000 civilians, as well as hundreds of police and soldiers, were killed. He also spoke of the police's involvement with criminality.

"However, police officers and the security forces, including the State, were also allegedly involved in colluding with terrorist groups. Northern Ireland faced extreme levels of violence and public disorder," said Felice, at a forum put on by the human rights group, Jamaicans For Justice, last Thursday at the Stella Maris Pastoral Centre in St Andrew.

Community alienated

He said the behaviour of the police led to sections of the Northern Ireland community being alienated. He, however, said this changed with the implementation of the Patten Reform in 1999. The Patten commissioners, who comprised academics, lawyers, police and other key organisers, made 175 recommendations for change, including the rebranding of the paramilitary force, the Royal Ulster, into a unit now known as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

The recommendations also involved the establishment of an independent police ombudsman office to deal with police shootings and complaints.

"Since the fundamental change programme led by Patten and the commitment from the police and the government, the PSNI is now one of the best police forces in the world. Change has been achieved; the public has 70 per cent confidence in the police service," he said.

In his recommendations, Felice called on the Jamaican Government to quickly establish local policing boards in each parish to engage communities and to spearhead the reimaging of the JCF.

"It is wrong that in the 21st century, the police investigate themselves for complaints, allegations of police abuse and the use of firearms. An independent body similar to the police ombudsman officer in Northern Ireland must be established soon," said Felice.

A plan for the reform of the JCF is currently being drafted and according to Chief Superintendent Cal Corley of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who is on the review panel, the report should be ready for Minister of National Security Derrick Smith by the end of March.