Bunting praises Commish for promotions
... says cops in good standing should have a right to personal firearms to protect themselves, families
Published:Friday | May 30, 2025 | 12:05 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
WESTERn BUREAU:
Opposition Spokesman on Citizen Security Senator Peter Bunting has praised Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake for his handling of promotions since taking charge of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Speaking on Tuesday’s opening day of the 82nd annual joint Central Conference of the Jamaica Police Federation in Hanover, Bunting said that while the commissioner has done several things with which he has found favour, the one that stands out the most is his handling of promotions.
“If I just think of one thing that the present commissioner has done – I have observed many things – but just one thing, the way he seems to have accelerated so many promotions through the system. It tells me that he understands the culture of the JCF and some of the obstacles that were holding back progress and affecting motivation and morale,” Bunting said.
Since March 2024, Blake has promoted more than 1,200 cops.
In pointing to the ongoing reduction in cases of serious crimes, which has been seen as another success story for the commissioner, Bunting said what is now happening without the use of rolling states of emergency proves accurate the position taken by the Opposition when it argued that their implementation was both unconstitutional and ineffective.
“The Constitutional Court has now vindicated the Opposition’s position by stating that such use was not demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society,” said Bunting, “contrary to DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) Clifford Blake’s assertion that the impact of SOEs had the effect of reducing murders and shootings. Those statistics do not bear out the assertion.
“The justices of the Constitutional Court are individuals who are very competent in weighing evidence. The most compelling piece of evidence is the decline in murders and shootings last year and, more so, this year since the use of SOEs has ceased.”
Bunting also stressed his long-standing assertion that soldiers should not be assigned to do the work that police personnel are trained and tasked to do.
“Soldiers have their important role, but a different role. They are not trained for police work, nor will they understand the strong culture of the JCF,” he argued.
In speaking to some of the benefits that the police should enjoy, which include increments and other negotiated benefits, Bunting also pointed to the issue of personal firearm licences for police personnel, which he said he intends to correct either by policy directive or by legislation, should the People’s National Party form the next government.
“Every fully trained police officer in good standing must have a right to a personal firearm for their and their family’s protection. And those applications must be prioritised and expedited by the FLA (Firearm Licensing Authority),” he said. “Police should not have to be certified or re-certified by the FLA if they have already been certified and approved by the JCF. This is just a revenue measure that officers have to bear unnecessarily, it has nothing to do with safety or competence.”