Police clean house: Several cops in hot water over corruption allegations

Arthur Hall, Senior Gleaner Writer

Almost 60 members of the police force were arrested for corruption related offences last year while a further nine failed lie-detector tests as the leadership of the force stepped up its house-cleaning exercise.

More than 20 additional members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have been charged with corruption-related offences since the start of this year.

Figures for 2010 were released Monday by the police Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) which is leading the drive to stamp out corruption in the JCF.

The year-to-date figures were compiled by The Gleaner based on releases by the force.

According to the ACB figures, a total of 64 persons - police and civilians - were arrested and charged for corruption-related offences in 2009.

That number moved to 71 last year (36 police and 35 civilians).

But the ACB says the number of persons arrested and charged does not reflect the full impact of its actions against corruption.

"One hundred and 37 police officers were not permitted to re-enlist in 2010," senior superintendent at the ACB, Selvin Hay, told journalists Monday.

Retired personnel

Hay said the number of police personnel retired in the public interest was 28 while 23 members of the Force were dismissed as a result of corruption.

He noted that a large number of corruption cases involving cops are still before the courts.

"When we arrest (some members of the JCF) the evidence is not strong enough to charge them criminally but they are charged departmentally," Hay added.

He said the Force is also using its less than one-year-old ethics committee and lie-detector tests to weed out bad eggs.

"This ethics committee was established to look at intelligence against members ... . Most of this intelligence is not at the stage where criminal prosecution can be done so the ethics committee was used to confront these persons."

According to Hay, all the recently promoted senior police officers faced the ethics committee.

"It was a real revelation to see grown men cry, but not only that, it gave them an opportunity to know the (allegations) against them," said Hay.

He noted that 389 members of the force faced lie-detector tests last year.

Some were given forensic tests which looked at specific allegations against them while others were subject to vetting before being promoted or transferred to other posts.

Of those who faced the forensic test, 34 passed, nine failed while eight tests returned inconclusive results.

"We are seeing where people are having renewed confidence in the system. People have been sidelined because information has been verified based on the test, and I see where this is going to be something that will help us in the drive against corruption in the JCF," Hay said.

Police Commissioner Owen Ellington has repeatedly identified stamping out corruption in the Force as one of his major goals.

"I have directed that we develop, as a matter of urgency, an effective and timely system for the removal of staff who act unlawfully, unethically and who lack integrity...," Ellington declared in the JCF Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2010-2012.

"I want to make it clear that there is no turning back and we will, over time, ensure that there is no hiding place for those who do not share our values and ethical standards," Ellington added.