Cop sent on leave for cheating

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

Less than a week after he was removed from all polygraph duties, a superintendent who was allegedly caught cheating in an exam at the Police Staff College in Twickenham Park, Spanish Town, St Catherine, has been sent on leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Fresh information reaching The Gleaner is that the Inspectorate of Constabulary Branch, which has been charged with the responsibility of probing the allegation, is expected to complete its investigations by this weekend and submit its findings to Police Commissioner Owen Ellington.

It is understood that investigators are trying to complete the investigation before the arrival of a team of polygraph experts from Canada, who are schedule to arrive in the island by August 27.

Reports are that they are coming to train more law enforcement officers as polygraphers. Earlier this year the Canadian Government donated $62 million (CAD$705,000) to Jamaica as part of ongoing initiatives to bolster the island's anti-crime and anti-corruption programmes.

The money is to construct a 'Centre of Excellence' for polygraph training, as well as to train additional polygraph examiners and will be carried out in collaboration with the College of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, where some of the training will be conducted.

Up to 2009, the 43-year-old senior officer was one of two law enforcement officers who were specially trained as forensic polygraphers. The other is a member of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

Based on his development and expertise, he was touted to head the proposed 'Centre of Excellence' when it comes on stream. Now his career is threatened and his fate lies in the hands of the investigators who have already collected statements in relation to the incident.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com