Orville Taylor | Positive look for the JCF

Between the two major political parties there is a masterful debate about crime-fighting. Numbers are only inconvenient to those would do not wish to empirically verify many of the notions, misguided or otherwise, which they may have about reality.

When the numbers regarding violent crimes were high, phrases such as ‘spiralling out of control’ were commonplace. Now, inasmuch as we have had so far a more than 40 per cent decrease in homicide rates over the past year, with a downward slope, it would be foolish to celebrate now.

After all, one needs only look back at last month’s World Athletic Relays when a scintillating run by Julian Forte ended with him being carted off the track at a time when it looked like we would have been given a good performance by Kishane Thompson.

Indeed, never count one’s chickens before incubation is complete, because crocodiles also lay eggs.

Nevertheless, given the reason behind the improving policing statistics, it would be certainly disingenuous to not at least acknowledge some of the bases for the positive outcomes.

Last Wednesday, for the third time, and the second consecutive year, Arleen McBean was elected, unopposed this time along with her entire slate of colleagues, to complete much of the work which is directly and indirectly correlated to the improving crime statistics. Her re-election a year later came after a forgettable conference in 2024.

Let me make this categorically clear. The solution to lower crime rates doubtless involves a whole range of social remedies and correlates, many of which my colleagues and I have written and spoken unambiguously about. Trust me, our social workers, psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists in that department on the plantation, have a pretty clear understanding as to what are the factors that have an impact on social pathologies, including crime.

There is another discipline within that department, human resource development (HRD), a programme which has seen copious participation over the decades, by members of the constabulary, including two former deputy commissioners of police. One of the main findings within the discipline of HRD is that decent work practices invariably lead to higher productivity and positive social outcomes. Interestingly, at the macro level, the contrary is true. Poor labour policies, including attempts to suppress organised labour, workers’ rights and freedom of expression by trade union leaders, not only leads to low productivity and poor social outcomes, but perhaps most importantly, for the policymakers, poor performance in elections.

The formula is deceptively simple. Decent work involves not only paying workers a liveable wage, commensurate with their qualifications, hours of work and the importance of their job. It also incorporates the principles of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. This means that workers, including members of the public sector, should not only have the right to be members of their worker organisations, but should be relatively assured that where those union leaders stand up for their rights, there will be no recriminating measures.

Included in a package of decent work is training and opportunities for upward mobility, transparency in hiring and promotion policies, as well as guarantees that the tenets outlined in Convention 158, relating to termination of employment are strictly adhered to. The principles of natural justice, when individuals are facing disciplinary measures, is sacrosanct. One should note that before tribunals and high courts, disciplinary actions are often overturned, because of improper procedure or wanton disregard for these enshrined guidelines.

Decent work must also involve social protection. This is one of the biggest areas of concern for Jamaican workers on the whole. However, in the context of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), it is even more important. In no other profession does the clientèle of the worker make concerted efforts to harm him. Moreover, given the high stress level and the indelibility of the malice police officers garner during their tenure, the need to take care of these workers after their period of employment has ended whether by illness or age must be an integral component of decent work.

In the past, I have tried to indicate that police officers are not soldiers. They dress like them, have some similarity in training, and are schooled in the use of deadly force. However, unlike military personnel, from the chief constable to ‘canis testiculus’, police have individual discretion, no obligation to follow a direct order from the prime minister or subordinates, and most important, is subject to civilian laws.

Given that police are really civilians with specialised duties and powers, like customs officers and other civil servants, who wear uniforms, they must be motivated, not like soldiers, but like civilians that they are and according to the guidelines provided by the discipline and practice of HRD.

The ascendancy of Kevin Blake to commissioner, the second PhD in this position, is fortuitous. Be not mistaken; a PhD does not guarantee competence as police officers or anything else. In fact, one of my popular expressions is, “Not every PhD is an idiot!”

Blake has seen the lowest homicide and highest clear up rates since … guess who? Another PhD, Carl Williams, who listened, and had a clear understanding about how to motivate police officers, have transparent promotion policies, and to act with recognition that while policing should ideally not conflict with politics of the elected government, it should not be the operational arm of any political party whether government or opposition.

The current commissioner has promoted an unprecedented number of federated ranks and officers in his one year of leadership, including a number of them on the floor of the conference last week. Most significantly, there is no appearance of him, his surrogates or external elements to the federation trying to subvert the interest of those who clearly want McBean and her team to lead them.

Still, a review of the last year of the commissioner’s term in office along with that of the federation leadership gives the Constabulary two thumbs up. There is more work to be done. But let us give credit where it is due, because encouragement sweetens…

Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com.