- RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Lucius Thomas (centre), commissioner of police, makes a point at the launch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Corporate Plan 2005-2008 at the Police Officers' Club, St. Andrew, yesterday. At left is Assistant Commissioner Clarence Taylor, while Aubyn Hill, chief restructuring officer of Air Jamaica, looks on.Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
A MORE efficient and transparent police force is what Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas has vowed to produce during the second phase of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's corporate strategy plan.
"Our aim for the next three years is to continue to upgrade the investigative capacity of the JCF in order to improve clear-up and conviction rates," Commissioner Thomas said, while unveiling the corporate plan at the Police Officers' Club on Old Hope Road, St. Andrew, yesterday. "This will necessitate further enhancement of our intelligence capabilities to target high-crime areas and criminal networks."
The strategic plan, which will guide the police force over the next three years, is expected to:
Reduce the country's high murder rate; Improve police awareness about human rights; Provide a citizen-focused service to the public which responds to the needs of individuals and communities."We will also be putting ourselves under the microscope by strengthening the process for investigating complaints against the police," said Mr. Thomas.
SOCIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES
While the police will be working alongside government and non-government agencies to implement social intervention programmes across communities, the commissioner said he will be expanding the Safe Schools Programme.
The standard of traffic accident recording and investigations will be improved along with the capacity to analyse road casualty data and deployment of traffic patrols to high-risk locations.
The first phase of the corporate strategy plan was launched by former Police Commissioner Francis Forbes five years ago. According to Mr. Thomas, many of the goals of the first plan have been met and they have wrought fundamental changes to the operations of the force.
Gilbert Scott, permanent secretary in the national security ministry, gave the assurance yesterday that the ministry will be assisting the JCF by seeking to ensure that they are provided with the requisite necessities to fulfil the objective of the corporate strategy.
