Byron Buckley, News Editor 
Phillips
THE GOVERNMENT is taking steps to establish a civilian body to oversee the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
This was revealed by National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips in an interview with The Gleaner. Currently, the role of the Police Services Commission is largely confined to matters related to the hiring and firing of JCF members. But interest groups have been advocating the introduction of a body which sets and monitors operational standards for the police.
"A body such as the existing Police Services Commission, or a new body, must be empowered by law to ensure that police operations are properly conducted," Beverly Lopez, president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), suggested last month.
In a recent interview with The Gleaner, the national security minister disclosed that discussions toward this objective were being held with the parliamentary Opposition in bi-partisan talks.
"We recognise the needs for greater levels of accountability. Even as we have quite properly given operational autonomy to the commissioner of police, we need, equally, to ensure that there is accountability to civilian authority generally as well as to the society as a whole," said Dr. Phillips. "We are exploring different models of achieving this, including the possibility of adjusting the role and responsibilities of the Police Services Commission."
Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Derrick Smith, on Saturday confirmed that bi-partisan talks on national security, which resumes this week, could include the possibility of "giving a little bit more teeth" to the Commission. Alternatively, the Government and Opposition will look at "independent type models" of police oversight bodies, particularly in the Commonwealth," Mr. Smith said.
Dr. Phillips, who took over as national security minister three years ago, has seen violent crime spiral during his tenure. There were more than 1,400 murders last year, with more than 400 committed during the first three months of this year.
He concedes that the "transformation of the JCF that we seek still has a far way to go."
"... There is still the need to secure greater levels of public trust in the integrity of the police. There is still too much disquiet about gaps in the general character and integrity of some members of the force," he said.
