National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips (left) in discussion with Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas at the annual conference of the Jamaica Police Federation, which started on Tuesday at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay. - PHOTO BY HERBERT MCKENIS
POLICE COMMISSIONER Lucius Thomas yesterday painted a damning picture of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), accusing some colleagues of consistently supplying criminals with bullets and other vital police operational information.
Addressing rank-and-file police officers at the 62nd annual conference of the Police Federation at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Montego Bay, St. James, Mr. Thomas noted that some of the same bullets may have been used to kill members of the JCF.
"We have criminals among us. It is not only corporals, sergeants and inspectors, it goes all the way up," Commissioner Thomas said.
"Can you imagine a police officer giving some men he knows in the underworld a box of 15 9mm rounds of ammunition?"
He continued: "Do you know what those ammunition are used for? And the point that hurts is that when some of our members are killed, and we go deep down to ask the question, those same rounds that an officer gave to that criminal took that policeman's life."
ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE
According to Mr. Thomas, policemen and women in the JCF were also actively involved in the illegal drug trade.
"Do you know that some of our members have moved over to being drug players and control the turf ... run the business? They recruit drug couriers, load them and send them away. Police officers! Police officers!" he stressed.
Prior to yesterday's bombshell, most of what the Commissioner had to say had previously been reduced to mere speculation. He was, however, in no mood to pull any punches.
"Do you know that some of our police officers use the government's marked vehicles to take the drugs and escort it to where it must go?" he asked.
He said vital pieces of operational information within the force were being shared with criminals.
"Do you know there are people among us who, on a regular basis, meet known criminals and tell them about the mobilisation available to the police, about raids to be conducted?" Mr. Thomas added.
"Do you know that officers would have gone to gunmen and said to them, 'we blaze shot pon de bwoys dem last night'. You know who the boys are the police!" the Commissioner said.
TRUST AND CONFIDENCE
"The majority of us who are innocent persons suffer the consequences of the few people among us that have destroyed us," he stated, adding that the trust and confidence the public should have in the the police will be difficult to restore.
"It is very, very difficult to bring them back, but good will always conquer evil," Commissioner Thomas emphasised.
He would later admit to The Gleaner that the Professional Standards Branch (PSB) was probing several police personnel implicated in corrupt acts.
"The PSB is now acting on the intelligence available to it," he said.
He said while the intelligence may not be sufficient to convict some of the corrupt cops, the Police High Command is eagerly awaiting the implementation of the proposed oversight body to monitor the performance of the police force.
