Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn looks on as Dennis Hickey, public relations committee chairman for the Jamaica Fulbright-Humphrey Alumni Association, speaks to the audience at the association's lecture series, supported by the United States Embassy, on the topic: The Role of the Office of the DPP in Administration of Justice in the 21st Century. The lecture was held at the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica Auditorium, Trafalgar Road, St Andrew on Monday night. Llewellyn was the guest speaker. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn has called for a system, in which police officers who are suspected of committing an offence are arrested immediately, to be put in place.

This, however, would be dependent on the evidence of the case and reasonable cause to suspect that a crime has been committed by the offender.

"I would also wish to see a system put in place by the police whereby there is immediate arrest, as a matter of course, of suspected law enforcement offenders with stop orders at the airports if necessary to prevent the potential police offender from escaping the inevitable consequence of being charged after investigations," reads an extract from a lecture Llewellyn gave at the Jamaica Fulbright- Humphrey Alumni Association Lecture Series on Monday.

Change in protocol

Speaking to The Gleaner on Wednesday, Llewellyn stressed that the change in protocol would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of such cases when they are prosecuted.

"The protocol has always been that the director rules on whether or not charges should be laid, but sometimes by the time the file gets to us, a lot of time has elapsed and by then it is too late," she said.

There are currently about 1,300 incomplete files relating to police personnel being investigated by the Bureau of Special Investigations. Police statistics also reveal that there are about 20 police officers who are facing charges, and who are on the run.

The protocol which currently exists is that a police officer who is suspected of committing an offence is not charged or arrested until there are directions from the office of the DPP.

This direction from the DPP's office would come after investigations are undertaken into the matter. There, however, are exceptional cases where this rule does not apply.

ACP in support

Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice, who is in charge of the Anti-Corruption Branch within the Jamaica Constabulary Force, is in support of Llewellyn's call.

"I applaud it, what she says. Police officers if they break the law, they should not be treated any differently from civilians. They should be arrested, interviewed and out before the courts. The integrity of police officers is non-negotiable."

General Secretary of the Police Federation, Corporal Hartley Stewart, was however cautious, saying he believes the system does not need to be altered as it is not "broken".

"Incidents which involve police more often than not arises out of their being an employee of the state and on the state business and, before an investigator acts in haste and in error, the matter should come to the attention of the DPP for his or her opinion," Corporal Stewart told The Gleaner.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com