Were it not so potentially dangerous, the Montego Bay case of the fake cop would be grand comedy.

And perhaps it can still be, once the responsible people have been held accountable, and appropriately sanctioned, and we are sufficiently removed from the affair by the distance of time to be able to laugh about it.

The affair is a mark of incompetence on the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and of an absence of sound management by the St James police and, in particular, at the Mount Salem Police Station to which Courtney Graham allegedly reported for six months and was given duties as a cop until he was arrested and taken before the court last week.

If there is an upside to this sorry affair - as has been so far reported - it is that Mr Graham, 23, just wanted to be a cop and that he did nothing untoward with the uniform he regularly wore and the M-16 rifle with which he was often armed.

Questions relating to transfer

The obvious question to be answered by the authorities, particularly the St James police and the head of Mount Salem police, is how could Mr Graham so insinuate himself into their operations that he went undetected for more than a few minutes, much less six months? It ought not to have happened.

Even assuming that Mr Graham, or any other policeman, real or impostor, claimed that he was transferred from another division, there must be some documentation to prove this to be so. It cannot be that someone just walks into a station, declares himself to be a new member of staff and sets to work.

At the very least, any such transfer should be recorded in the force orders. And even a passingly curious manager would, or should, want to know something about a new member of his or her team. What about a basic chat, if not a formal interview?

It is not enough for the constabulary to promise, or more to the point, hint at the probability of an investigation by the police inspectorate division. This matter demands a full-scale probe of the JCF's operational system, particularly in personnel management.

Operational review

There is also need for a review of operational and management arrangements at the divisional level and at large police stations, those in charge must see themselves in serious management roles, rather than mere involvement in games of cops and robbers. Maybe, basic training in management ought to accompany promotion to senior leadership positions, including command of large stations.

But even as the constabulary deals with these issues, the Montego Bay affair has to be seen - and dealt with - for it was, a case of bungling incompetence for which those responsible have to be held accountable.

By now, we suspect, those in charge of the Mount Salem Police Station have proceeded on leave, with more than a nudge from the commissioner of police, and the hearing dates before the Police Service Commission are being formalised.

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