Tweet
Munster Road fallout -British cop replaced at police armoury
Published: Sunday | February 21, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
A senior crime fighter seems set to become the first casualty of the foul-up at the police armoury, which resulted in several guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition being stolen.
Reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner are that Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Robinson has been stripped of the responsibility for the armoury and replaced by fellow ACP Donald Pusey.
There has been no official word from the Police High Command, but a member of the force's top brass told The Sunday Gleaner that Robinson has been replaced.
The High Command had earlier dispatched a press release about changes in the leadership of some police divisions, which took effect last week, but made no mention of the change in the Firearm and Tactical Training Unit, which also became effective last week.
Senior police sources said the internal communication was that Robinson, who was recruited from Britain, and whose contract expires in April, would share responsibility for the Firearm and Tactical Training Unit with Pusey. However, there was no indication on how the responsibilities would be shared.
That facility is the focal point of the probe into 18 guns and almost 11,000 rounds of ammunition seized on Munster Road in eastern St Andrew nearly two weeks ago.
It is believed that the 18 guns - plus one seized at another location - and the ammunition were all smuggled out of the armoury.
A police sergeant, Russell Robinson, two civilians attached to the armoury, and a businessman are now facing multiple charges relating to the guns and ammunition.
ACP Robinson was one of five senior policemen who left the United Kingdom four years ago to join the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
He was initially mandated to improve the firearms and use-of-force policy of the constabulary, and headed what was then the Firearms and Coastal arm before it was revamped and renamed the Firearms and Tactical Training Unit.
He was to get high marks for the introduction of the Glock pistols and the MP-5 into the police force, with the subsequent phasing out of the M-16 rifles.
However, ACP Robinson lost some of his lustre after his name was linked to a foul-up, which saw the police sending millions of dollars to purchase ammunition from a convicted arms dealer in the United States.
While the arms dealer, Lance Brooks, was awaiting sentencing, investigators in the US searched a package from the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Firearms Coastal Security Branch with ACP Robinson's name on it.
Since then, the police force has recovered a portion of the money, but there has been no word on the investigation, or who is to shoulder the blame.
Last week, ACP Robinson dismissed suggestions that he had been replaced as the head of the Firearms and Tactical Training Unit.
He told The Sunday Gleaner that he and Pusey would be sharing the heavy workload.
"I am still the head of the division. Because of the load, we will be sharing the responsibilities," he said.
According to ACP Robinson, details of the arrangements were yet to be fleshed out.
He also dismissed reports that he could be on his way out of the force and returning to the United Kingdom.
opportunity welcomed
For his part, Pusey, 58, told The Sunday Gleaner that he welcomed the opportunity to serve the people of Jamaica.
"I am prepared to play my part anywhere they choose to send me," asserted the 38-year police veteran. "I will serve until I am ready to leave."
Pusey, known for his no-nonsense approach to crime-fighting, declared: "Firearm and tactical training is nothing new to me as I have had valuable training stints in Venezuela and the United States."
He added: "I basically want to play my part in giving the young men and women of the JCF proper tactical training as it relates to operation, as well as proper firearm training, as I have learned all these years from the experts."
[email protected]
Published: Sunday | February 21, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
A senior crime fighter seems set to become the first casualty of the foul-up at the police armoury, which resulted in several guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition being stolen.
Reports reaching The Sunday Gleaner are that Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Robinson has been stripped of the responsibility for the armoury and replaced by fellow ACP Donald Pusey.
There has been no official word from the Police High Command, but a member of the force's top brass told The Sunday Gleaner that Robinson has been replaced.
The High Command had earlier dispatched a press release about changes in the leadership of some police divisions, which took effect last week, but made no mention of the change in the Firearm and Tactical Training Unit, which also became effective last week.
Senior police sources said the internal communication was that Robinson, who was recruited from Britain, and whose contract expires in April, would share responsibility for the Firearm and Tactical Training Unit with Pusey. However, there was no indication on how the responsibilities would be shared.
That facility is the focal point of the probe into 18 guns and almost 11,000 rounds of ammunition seized on Munster Road in eastern St Andrew nearly two weeks ago.
It is believed that the 18 guns - plus one seized at another location - and the ammunition were all smuggled out of the armoury.
A police sergeant, Russell Robinson, two civilians attached to the armoury, and a businessman are now facing multiple charges relating to the guns and ammunition.
ACP Robinson was one of five senior policemen who left the United Kingdom four years ago to join the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
He was initially mandated to improve the firearms and use-of-force policy of the constabulary, and headed what was then the Firearms and Coastal arm before it was revamped and renamed the Firearms and Tactical Training Unit.
He was to get high marks for the introduction of the Glock pistols and the MP-5 into the police force, with the subsequent phasing out of the M-16 rifles.
However, ACP Robinson lost some of his lustre after his name was linked to a foul-up, which saw the police sending millions of dollars to purchase ammunition from a convicted arms dealer in the United States.
While the arms dealer, Lance Brooks, was awaiting sentencing, investigators in the US searched a package from the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Firearms Coastal Security Branch with ACP Robinson's name on it.
Since then, the police force has recovered a portion of the money, but there has been no word on the investigation, or who is to shoulder the blame.
Last week, ACP Robinson dismissed suggestions that he had been replaced as the head of the Firearms and Tactical Training Unit.
He told The Sunday Gleaner that he and Pusey would be sharing the heavy workload.
"I am still the head of the division. Because of the load, we will be sharing the responsibilities," he said.
According to ACP Robinson, details of the arrangements were yet to be fleshed out.
He also dismissed reports that he could be on his way out of the force and returning to the United Kingdom.
opportunity welcomed
For his part, Pusey, 58, told The Sunday Gleaner that he welcomed the opportunity to serve the people of Jamaica.
"I am prepared to play my part anywhere they choose to send me," asserted the 38-year police veteran. "I will serve until I am ready to leave."
Pusey, known for his no-nonsense approach to crime-fighting, declared: "Firearm and tactical training is nothing new to me as I have had valuable training stints in Venezuela and the United States."
He added: "I basically want to play my part in giving the young men and women of the JCF proper tactical training as it relates to operation, as well as proper firearm training, as I have learned all these years from the experts."
[email protected]
Comment