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Shields under fire
published: Saturday | November 1, 2008
Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter
THE POLICE Officers' Association (POA) is to meet shortly to discuss statements made by crime chief Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mark Shields.
<span style="font-weight: bold">On Thursday, this newspaper quoted Shields as saying "we were not brought here to solve the crime problem."</span>
Shields spoke to The Gleaner in relation to the impact British cops have had in Jamaica's crime fighting efforts.
Major crimes fell
Following Shields' arrival in 2005, major crimes fell from 10,693 to 8,965. Murder also decreased from 1,674 to 1,340 but since then, it has again trended upwards.
Police statistics indicate that 1,574 persons were murdered last year, and this year, 1,241 had been murdered at the end of September. Major crimes at the end of September rose from 971 over the corresponding period last year to 1,241.
Yesterday, Superintendent Michael James, chairman of the POA, told The Gleaner that several members have expressed concerns about the statement made by Shields.
"There are a lot of persons who are upset - if the way you carried it was really what he said," James told The Gleaner.
Superintendent James said he would be having discussions with members of his committee before responding fully to Shields' comment.
Taking sides
But while the POA prepares to discuss the issue, the former security minister Dr Peter Phillips, under whose watch Shields joined the JCF, has sided with the crime chief.
"Only a crazy person would think that four people from elsewhere could come and solve our problem," Phillips told The Gleaner yesterday.
"Their role was precisely to assist in the modernisation of the JCF. I don't think anybody could expect one person or four people to come and solve the problem overall. It is ultimately a responsibility for all of us Jamaicans to solve," Phillips said.
Shields told The Gleaner that British cops were brought here "to assist in the modernisation of the JCF."
"I believe that we have played a critical role in that. At no time did somebody say to me 'We would like you to come and solve the crime problem'. Frankly, I would have laughed," Shields told The Gleaner.
Shields led the wave of British entry into the force. Les Green, Justin Felice, John McLean and Paul Robinson, all of whom were employed at the rank of assistant commissioner of police, later followed.
James said that one question that now occupy the minds of several officers of the force following Shields' comment is why it is that Shields took credit for the reduction in murders in 2006 if solving the crime problem was not his job.
Ministry is not responsible
Meanwhile, contacted yesterday about the terms of reference under which the British cops were employed, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Gilbert Scott, said that the ministry is not responsible for the contracts of the foreign cops.
"Their contract is a contract between them and the Police Services Commission, and of course, with the commissioner of police being a principal player," Scott said.
Chairman of the Police Services Commission, Noel Hylton, was off the island yesterday and not available for comment.
published: Saturday | November 1, 2008
Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter
THE POLICE Officers' Association (POA) is to meet shortly to discuss statements made by crime chief Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mark Shields.
<span style="font-weight: bold">On Thursday, this newspaper quoted Shields as saying "we were not brought here to solve the crime problem."</span>
Shields spoke to The Gleaner in relation to the impact British cops have had in Jamaica's crime fighting efforts.
Major crimes fell
Following Shields' arrival in 2005, major crimes fell from 10,693 to 8,965. Murder also decreased from 1,674 to 1,340 but since then, it has again trended upwards.
Police statistics indicate that 1,574 persons were murdered last year, and this year, 1,241 had been murdered at the end of September. Major crimes at the end of September rose from 971 over the corresponding period last year to 1,241.
Yesterday, Superintendent Michael James, chairman of the POA, told The Gleaner that several members have expressed concerns about the statement made by Shields.
"There are a lot of persons who are upset - if the way you carried it was really what he said," James told The Gleaner.
Superintendent James said he would be having discussions with members of his committee before responding fully to Shields' comment.
Taking sides
But while the POA prepares to discuss the issue, the former security minister Dr Peter Phillips, under whose watch Shields joined the JCF, has sided with the crime chief.
"Only a crazy person would think that four people from elsewhere could come and solve our problem," Phillips told The Gleaner yesterday.
"Their role was precisely to assist in the modernisation of the JCF. I don't think anybody could expect one person or four people to come and solve the problem overall. It is ultimately a responsibility for all of us Jamaicans to solve," Phillips said.
Shields told The Gleaner that British cops were brought here "to assist in the modernisation of the JCF."
"I believe that we have played a critical role in that. At no time did somebody say to me 'We would like you to come and solve the crime problem'. Frankly, I would have laughed," Shields told The Gleaner.
Shields led the wave of British entry into the force. Les Green, Justin Felice, John McLean and Paul Robinson, all of whom were employed at the rank of assistant commissioner of police, later followed.
James said that one question that now occupy the minds of several officers of the force following Shields' comment is why it is that Shields took credit for the reduction in murders in 2006 if solving the crime problem was not his job.
Ministry is not responsible
Meanwhile, contacted yesterday about the terms of reference under which the British cops were employed, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Gilbert Scott, said that the ministry is not responsible for the contracts of the foreign cops.
"Their contract is a contract between them and the Police Services Commission, and of course, with the commissioner of police being a principal player," Scott said.
Chairman of the Police Services Commission, Noel Hylton, was off the island yesterday and not available for comment.
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