THE POLICE Public Complaints Authority, set up seven years ago to investigate complaints about police abuse, is itself complaining about "inaction and inordinate delay" by the Jamaica Constabulary Force in response to requests for information.
In its newly available 1998/99 report, the authority said it was concerned about the "inordinate delay" some police personnel, who were the subject of complaints, took to respond to the authority's notification of allegations made against them.
"They are not obliged to reply, but it may be in their best interest to do so. They should be mindful that as public employees they are in a peculiar and unusual position of public trust and responsibility," the report said.
"The public expects members of the Force to give frank and honest replies to questions which are directly related to the performance of their official duties and/or their fitness to hold office," it said.
Executive chairman of the authority, retired appeal court judge Justice Carl Patterson, yesterday said although the situation had remained the same since 1998/99, the authority had now allowed its work to be seriously hampered by the non-co-operation of the police force.
"We act on whatever information we have. If the police reply, we have both sides. But if they don't and it is only what the complainant says that is available, we go ahead with that any way," he said.
He said it was anticipated the services offered by the authority would be greatly improved as soon as proposals announced by the Prime Minister were implemented. In his speech on corruption on November 7, Mr. Patterson had announced the authority would now be responsible for investigating allegations of corruption made against members of the police force.
During 1998/99, the authority received 242 complaints, six more than the previous year. The highest number of complaints were about assaults (94), following by conduct unbecoming (64) and non-action (44).
Most complaints were against policemen at the level of Corporal and below (175), Inspectors and Sergeants (51). Special Constables had only seven. Most complaints were from the age group 21-30 years old (70), followed by group 31-40 (65).
Forty eight of the complaints were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for his ruling. They included 37 assault cases, four fatal shootings and six non-fatal shootings.
