While praising efforts of the Jamaican government to reform the police force, as mandated by its approved Police Strategic Review in 2007, it has yet to yield significant results in a law enforcement system that is plagued by corruption and inefficiencies.  This according to the International Narcotics Strategy Report, which added that the government, two years after the strategic review of the police force, has yet to implement the necessary recommended reforms.

According to the Report, the slow pace, along with the increasing rate of aggravated crime, compelled the Jamaican Executive Office (JEO), MNS, and the Police Services Commission (PSC) to assess the overall effectiveness of Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin’s leadership.  Shortly after the Prime Minister announced a public statement of no confidence, Commissioner Lewin tendered his resignation and left office on November 6, 2009.

The police commissioner, according to the Report, provided few details for his resignation but stated that there were numerous problems that he encountered with the authorities that conflicted with the macro management of law and order in Jamaica.  The Report stated that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) senior official, Owen Ellington was appointed Acting Police Commissioner until the PSC formally appoints a permanent replacement in January 2010.

While Ellington, stated the Report, has taken a strong public stance to eliminate corruption, he could face, as his predecessor did, internal, judicial and political roadblocks that hinder efforts to reform the police.  In the past, these battles have paralyzed the commissioner’s authority and ability to affect change on the force.  If this continues, Commissioner Ellington’s fate could be similar to the previous three police commissioners who, despite the best of intentions, could not secure the necessary legislative support and political will to underscore their reform efforts at a time when murder and other violent crimes threaten to overwhelm the country, the Report stated.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Attaché office in Kingston currently supports a 41-person JCF Vetted Unit with investigative responsibility over violations of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), weapons smuggling, human trafficking, human smuggling, money laundering, and fraud investigations.  Much of the unit’s investigative efforts have been focused primarily on investigating lottery scam cases under the auspices of the Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing (JOLT) Task Force.

The task force, the Report stated, was established to combat the overwhelming amount of fraudulent monetary schemes perpetrated on United States citizens.  Since inception of JOLT in May 2009, the task force has yielded 60 arrests, seized $283,460 (Jamaican dollars), repatriated $251,892.00 (US dollars) back to victims in the United States, and contributed to the opening of approximately 140 domestic ICE cases.

According to the Report, the GOJ took steps to ensure greater accountability in the implementation of the anti-money laundering provisions of the Financial Investigative Division Act enacted in late 2008.  Procedural training was provided to judges, prosecutors, and investigators on how to apply the new legislation with further training exercises planned for the next two years.  A Code of Practice for investigators has been developed to guide officials in the execution of their powers and is expected to be sent to Parliament.

The Bank of Jamaica and the Financial Services Commission regulate compliance with the Proceeds of Crime Act of 2007 by financial sector institutions.  As a result of enforcement efforts, 31 persons were charged with money laundering; $86 million (Jamaican dollars) in property seized; $3 million (US dollars) seized; and $1,335,724 (US dollars) forfeited.