Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

The St. James police said they were aggressively pursuing allegations of corruption against some of its members, while forging ahead to improve the force's image.

At least 16 policemen attached to the St. James Division have been arrested on corruption charges over the past 20 months.

"We are continuing to pursue members who are unethical or who commit acts that fall outside of the law," Superintendent Warren Clarke, commanding officer for the parish, said yesterday.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force is to fine tune a draft document on a new witness management programme by March 2007, which will be introduced as part of plans to provide greater security to civilians and police, who report on corruption in the force.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Novelette Grant, who was speaking against the background of the confession of a corrupt policeman, published in The Sunday Gleaner, made the disclosure on Wednesday.

In the meantime, the two Montego Bay police constables, detained on December 2 in connection with the popular lottery scam operating extensively across western Jamaica, have returned to work.

Still under investigation

But, Supt. Clarke was quick to point out that the case was still under investigation.

The policemen were taken into custody on allegations of confiscating $97,000 from two key players in the lucrative, but deadly, lottery scam without arresting them. The cash was reportedly recovered from the policemen.

The cops were released from custody on December 13, on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"There are other cases being examined of corrupt policemen who would have made approaches to persons for money and instances of abusing their power by arresting persons with a view of personal gain," added Supt. Clarke.

"We want to encourage victims of unethical conduct and other inappropriate behaviour to be good citizens and cooperate fully with the investigations, so that we can rid the force of those who ought to be elsewhere."