Norman Grindley/Staff Photographer
The controversial but highly popular SSP Reneto Adams.Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
POLICE COMMISSIONER Francis Forbes has strategically moved manpower and resources to bolster two essential crime-fighting arms of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
The Crime Management Unit (CMU) and the Special Anti-Crime Task Force (SACTF) have been each given 100 men and additional resources to tackle the island's rising crime rate.
A new-look SACTF, now headed by Senior Superintendent Donald Pusey, has been beefed up with more men and given what was described as a "war" chest, while the Reneto Adams-led CMU has increased its personnel number from 26 to more than 100.
Mr. Pusey, one of the officers who participated in a special anti-crime training course, formed the CMU two years ago with Mr. Adams. Thereafter, he was transferred to Area 4 headquarters, which oversees all police stations in Kingston. He was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in 2002.
Mr. Pusey served on the 1980 Ranger Squad, Mobile Reserve, Flying Squad, and in Central Village. He was among six officers who started the much talked-about Anti-Crime Investigative Detachment (ACID).
Contacted yesterday, SSP Pusey did not deny or confirm the new arrangements, but said "...anywhere the Commissioner of Police sends me, I will go. I am still active and anywhere I go I will produce," he said.
The controversial SSP Reneto Adams who has served the Police Force for more than 34 years, like his colleague, stayed clear of confirming the whispered-about Commissioner's move, but instead referred The Sunday Gleaner to the top cop. A no-nonsense officer, Mr. Adams is believed to be one of the country's fearless crime fighters.
"The two units will be working from different points," a high-ranking officer of the JCF told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.
Apart from the units, a quick response team will be placed at the Mobile Reserve, plus a detachment of the country's finest detectives assigned to the newly-formed Major Investigating Team (MIT) has been drafted on board.
The army has also been called out to work alongside the police on what is said to be a national and direct assault on crime and violence.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson is scheduled to give details of the new Crime Plan tonight in a live broadcast to the nation.
Commissioner Forbes told journalists two weeks ago that the intelligence capability of the police force has been greatly improved and police personnel focusing on organised crime, gangs and other groups are now preparing a list of names as well as arrest and search warrants, which are expected to assist the police when the new Crime Plan is launched.
He indicated that on the list will be the names of gang leaders and their members, who the police believe are contributing significantly to the crime situation in Jamaica.
The Commissioner pointed out that within the Crime Plan will be a multi-agency approach to neutralise people's desire to unleashed violence on others.
This new National Crime Plan has been agreed on by the Government, Opposition, the Church, the business community as well as other groups within the society.
The Crime Plan was signed in June by members of the Patterson-led Government and members of the Opposition.
