- RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
George Rhoden (left), chairman of the Metropolitan Black Police Association of the United Kingdom, and Lee Jasper, senior policy advisor on equalities for the Mayor of Greater London, at the Jamaica Diaspora Conference on June 15.

Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

IN THE same week that outgoing chairman of the Police Officers' Association (POA), Assistant Commissioner of Police Leon Rose, complained about the higher salaries being paid to British detectives recruited to his rank, black officers from Scotland Yard are claiming they did not get a fair opportunity to apply for those same positions.

Lee Jasper, an advisor on race and policing matters to London Mayor Ken Livingstone, questioned why "premium secondments" were not directly offered to officers from within the diaspora. The recruitments - jointly funded by the United Kingdom and Jamaican Governments, together with the local private sector - are intended to speed up the modernisation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Jasper was speaking to The Sunday Gleaner at the two-day Jamaica Diaspora Conference, which was held at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston. "However well-intentioned the Jamaican and British governments have been in these recruitments, they have to be careful this doesn't reinforce the institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) by precluding experienced black officers who can make a real contribution," said Mr. Jasper.

"We are talking about Jamaican officers from Jamaican families who have a good understanding of what to expect," he added.

Inspector George Rhoden, the chairman of the Black Police Association (BPA), is one such officer of Jamaican descent. Also attending the conference, Insp. Rhoden offered a firm 'no' as to whether the BPA was approached.

AN OPEN PROCESS

But Gilbert Scott, permanent-secretary in the Ministry of National Security said the selection of British officers was carried out by the Police Services Commission and as far as he knows, was "an open process".

"We acted on the advice of our international partners, the Metropolitan Police Service in London. We advertised in what was considered the trade magazines in the security industry," he said.

He explained that Jane's Magazine was one such highly-recommended publication said to be widely read in the international security circles.

"It was an open process; The selection was done by the Police Services Commission. It is their mandate to make those appointments," said Scott.

But Inspector Rhoden, who has over 26 years of policing experience, maintains he has not seen the advertisement.

He said they were placed in British policing journals, but these are mostly circulated to senior areas of the police service and by the time it filters down the places are filled.

The advertisements asked for officers of the rank of superintendent, which are two ranks above inspector. But Inspector Rhoden says he and other black officers below the rank of superintendent are of sufficient competence with there being only a small group of black officers above that rank.

"We needed to have had fairer access to these advertisements. To accomplish the objectives we need to see a more diverse task force with other suitably-qualified individuals who are ideally Jamaican officers," he added.

He said he welcomed the strategy of recruiting foreign officers and expressed his respect for the work being carried out by those British officers now serving as Deputy and Assistant Commissioners of Police.

Three of the four positions at ACP level, which were advertised in international policing magazines, have been filled by white British officers with a fourth, due to work in anti-corruption, deciding not to sign his contract.

John McLean is ACP in charge of Community Policing and Crime; ACP Paul Robinson is with the Operations and Firearms Unit and ACP Green, homicide and serious crime investigation.

They join Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields who was seconded from Scotland Yard over a year ago.