THE JAMAICA Constabulary Force (JCF), has recruited two British officers at the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).
One will be assigned to professional standards and the other to anti-corruption, community policing and public order.
The officers, whose start date is yet to be negotiated, will join Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields who made the switch from Scotland Yard to the JCF in March.
The appointments, which were advertised in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia, will leave a further two ACP posts to be filled. These will be in the areas of homicide and serious crime investigation, and operations and firearms.
Meanwhile, Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, is in London to participate in ongoing discussions on British support for Operation Kingfish and the posting of JCF officers in the United Kingdom, with head of Scotland Yard, Sir Ian Blair.
COOPERATION IN CRIME FIGHTING
This follows Sir Ian's recent visit to the island during which both he and Dr. Phillips stressed the importance of cooperation in crime fighting to tackle criminal activities linked between both countries. "The relationship between events on the streets of London and events in Jamaica is very clear. I am here to benefit on behalf of the U.K. if not as well as helping to benefit (Jamaica)," said Sir Ian at the time.
Dr. Phillips' team, which includes Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas, is also meeting with Director-General of the Serious Organised Crime agency, William Hughes, to discuss specific areas of cooperation and assistance to the JCF.
The team will also meet with Gareth Thomas, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for International Development (DFID), to finalise support for the recently-launched Community Security Initiative (CSI) and discuss other support that the the JCF currently receives.
A meeting with U.K. immigration minister, Tony McNulty, is also scheduled to prompt dialogue between CARICOM and the U.K. on deportation.
Strategic objectives of the draft National Security Strategy will form part of Dr. Phillips' address at the Wilton Park Conference on security and prosperity for the Caribbean this Sunday.
Before returning to Jamaica next Friday, the team will fly to France to meet with Sagem SA for a briefing on the Automated Palm Fingerprint System (APFIS) which the government recently purchased.
