Dennie Quill, Contributor
ALLEGED BRIBE takers and bribe givers were active in the country this week. At least that's the impression one gets from news reports. Bribery is a crime that involves offering money to an official in order to sway or influence his or her decision. In the face of allegations about kick-backs and corruption scandals, the public has become aroused about all forms of bribery and wants to see measures to eliminate the scourge from our society.
The case of 75-year-old Louise McDonald is by far the most interesting of those which grabbed the headlines.
According to reports, the senior citizen who is visiting from the United States offered a US$100 bribe to a policeman at the Spanish Town station to drop a fraud charge against her son. It turns out that Ms. McDonald sent for the money and handed over US$80 to the policeman who then alerted his colleagues to the bribe. Poor Miss Lou is now sweating it out in the Spanish lock-up after she was denied bail. Among the comments I have heard about this case was: "A petty bribe dat, dem should give the old woman a break and warn her off." Others called this an example of over-policing and suggested that since this was a one-off situation, leniency could have been applied. The sceptics say had Ms McDonald delivered a larger sum, she might have been elsewhere today.
FOUR OUNCES OF GANJA
The case of St. Elizabeth mason Maurice Coley is pathetic. He was caught with four ounces of ganja and offered the policeman a bribe of $1,000 to drop the case. In the end he was ordered to pay $25,000 after he pleaded guilty to attempted bribery. I hardly think he would have paid that amount if he had simply pleaded guilty to possession of four ounces of weed.
Then there is the case of Special Constable Wayne Webster who allegedly took a bribe of $14,000, this is after he was reportedly given $5,000 to scrub a traffic violation. It is heartening to see action being taken against law officers for corruption. Constable Webster will have his day in court.
Bribery of the police is an age-old problem. Uniformed people have power and there are many who want to take advantage of that power. There are three reasons why policemen take bribes - greed, an opportunity presenting itself, and the unlikelihood of being caught. In our Jamaican situation, poverty and unemployment create a fertile environment for hustlers - and inevitably illegal activities such as operating robot taxis and selling drugs. These people are vulnerable to police corruption and the "licky licky" policemen are often in bed with drug dealers, car thieves and fraudsters.
Given the clandestine nature of bribery, it is hard to determine whether there is more corruption in the police force today than previously. The public perception is that there is more. However, there are many who feel that it is the reporting of the crime that has increased as well as a commitment by the administration to weed out the bad eggs.
PUBLIC TRUST ERODED
In many communities, public trust in the police is seriously eroded because of bribery and corruption charges. Some policemen are believed to break the law as frequently as they enforce it. I submit that this remains a central factor in undermining the ability of the police to be more effective in their work. But the misdeeds of a few ought not to be allowed to tarnish the reputation, courage and sacrifice of many.
I believe much can be done to turn things around. It all begins at the point of recruitment. The moral fibre of recruits should be an integral part of the process. The curriculum should be very heavy on the subject of ethical dilemma and recruits should be tested on how to deal with these situations on the job. Another subject that needs to be taught if it is not on the curriculum is financial management and/or personal finance. I do not buy the argument that because police officers are poorly paid they will inevitably become rogues and thieves. Teachers and nurses are not paid princely salaries either, but we don't hear of many of them shaking down patients or students.
RANDOM DRUG TESTS
I suppose that recruits are now given drug-screening tests. However, this should be extended to police officers of all ranks. Random drug tests should be conducted from time to time. Also police officers of high integrity should be rewarded to demonstrate that it pays to be honest.
Another important factor in the battle against corruption has to do with the police investigating itself. It will take a well-staffed and technically competent investigative unit with the requisite resources to effectively investigate and recommend appropriate action.
Dennie Quill is a veteran journalist who may be reached at denniequill@hotmail.com
