Mark Titus, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Police commissioners should be given greater powers to penalise policemen believed to be dishonouring the badge, according to Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.

Mr. Golding said yesterday that, were his Jamaica Labour Party to form the next government, he would use any means necessary to clean up the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

"The authority given to the Commissioner of Police needs to be examined, to give him more power," he said during a JLP Area Council Four meeting held at the St. James High School in Montego Bay yesterday.

"When an allegation of corruption is made against an officer, no action can be taken against him unless there is concrete proof; all the Commissioner can do is transfer him from one division to another."

Mr. Golding argued that the result of transferring a corrupt policeman was simply to transfer corruption, as that particular policeman would only continue with his schemes wherever he is assigned.

Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas has declared a zero tolerance approach to police corruption and has instructed the Professional Standard Branch (PSB) to place special emphasis on identifying such policemen.

According to the latest Bill Johnson opinion polls, published in The Sunday Gleaner this past weekend, a majority of persons believe nearly 55 per cent of the members of the JCF are corrupt.