THE JAMAICA Constabulary Force (JCF) and the London Police Department have embarked on a initiative to 'twin' both cities and establish an exchange programme for youth club members of both countries.
"I have been working with my JCF colleagues in an attempt to establish a Youth Exchange initiative, where young leaders will fly over and take part in the 50th anniversary of the JCF youth club programme in 2004," said Chief Inspector Leroy Logan, of the Metropolitan Police Department in London.
He was speaking on Tuesday at the 2002 LASCO Top Cop awards and presentation ceremony held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.
Inspector Logan who emphasised the positives of community policing said: "We as the gatekeepers in the criminal justice system should be walking the walk of accountability and transparency in all our process and practices, by having a zero tolerance approach to unethical behaviour".
Addressing the over 250 members of the JCF, including Police Commissioner Francis Forbes, the visiting law enforcement officer said the essence of community policing relied heavily on the consent of the public.
That consent could only be maintained through community co-operation and partnership, sustained through a holistic approach between police, other public and private organisations and the community.
"This will be part of a wider twinning strategy between a borough in London and Kingston, that I will be personally developing with my Commissioner in London.
The London-based officer stressed that community policing relies on a problem solving approach that totally involved protected and reassured all aspects of society, especially when it is realised that the majority of intelligence that worked towards solving crimes comes from community intelligence.
"This is graphically shown in the success made in the Operation Trident operational command unit in London, looking at crime in the black community with a focus on drug related firearm offences," said Mr. Logan.
He explain that over the past three years the Metro police have seen the murder rate decreased significantly, followed by a three-fold increase in clear up rates (from 25 per cent to 75 per cent), even though the number of firearm offences have continuously increased over the same period.
His view was supported by LASCO's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lascelles Chin who, in his address, said that with more than 250 police youth clubs islandwide, the Second Chance programme and the countless other community projects, the police have reached out to over 20,000 young men and women through concentrated community and school-based activities.
"Yet, many accuse the police of being ineffective. The truth of the matter is that it is we, the general public who should be doing more," said Mr. Chin.
He also said the public has seen a greater level of transparency and reform within the police force than ever before.
Commenting on the effect of community policing, Police Commissioner Francis Forbes said that to speak of community policing, or "soft policing" as it has come to be known, is to speak of law enforcement that has enabled police officers, even in the toughest communities, to function with citizens like a family to do outstanding work in building friendship and in advancing unity and peace in these areas.
"For community policing to be a success, public participation must play a crucial part and in this respect we have many persons to thank for making the jobs of the police that much easier," Mr. Forbes outlined.
Commissioner Forbes emphasised that the police are not in the communities only to search for and weed out those involved in illegal activity, but also to help people in other practical ways, such as the Second Chance programme, police youth clubs, Cops for Christ, homework and feeding programmes and skills training.
"By the end of this year, more than 75 per cent members of the JCF would have completed special training in the field of Community Policing," the Commissioner said.
