Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
ADAMS
SENIOR Superintendent Reneto Adams, former head of the Crime Management Unit (CMU), has said that new Commissioner of Police, Lucius Thomas will have to work hard at boosting staff morale in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which Adams said is at its lowest.
While highlighting that the force was suffering from the lack of resources that has prevented the police from fighting crime effectively, Superintendent Adams said that many police officers were demoralised.
URGES PUBLIC SUPPORT
He said, "Resources -- it is important. But when you have people who are de-motivated, how do resources help in this regard?"
He was addressing the Rotary Club of New Kingston at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston yesterday.
He also called on Jamaicans to give their support to the new Police Commissioner of Police. But at the same time he issued a warning to the new commissioner not to become too "aloof" and to always make himself available to the public.
"I wish him well; he is a good listener -- the only problem I have over the years is that they (commissioners of police) generally change in mid-stream. They tend to become aloof. I am hoping that he will continue to listen to people," Adams said.
Mr. Adams also said he was not in support of the call made by outgoing Commissioner of Police, Francis Forbes for senior police officers who are near retirement to opt for early retirement.
"I am not in support of that. We have failed (over the years) to do succession planning. And even if we were ready to retire, it would be very hard for us. We have not prepared our second or third tier leadership succession," he said.
The superintendent also recommended that the new commissioner put in place a solid middle management team that has a grasp and knowledge of the JCF.
But he also cautioned the incoming commissioner not to give persons positions because of "friendship" but because they can do the job.
Meanwhile, on Monday Adams will go on trial in Kingston for his involvement in the Braeton killings of 2001, when seven youths were shot dead during a raid by officers of the dismantled CMU.
