Public’s Trust in JCF has Improved According to LAPOP

The public’s trust in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has grown in the last nine years, and is now at its highest level, says Executive Director, National Integrity Action, Professor Trevor Munroe.

This, he said, is based on data from the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP).

Speaking at a handing over ceremony for community based policing material at the Police Officers Club, in Kingston, on May 20, Professor Munroe said the gains result from the effort made by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to improve the relationship between the Police and citizens.

Professor Munroe further noted that according to LAPOP, the element of bribery and victimization in Jamaica was significantly low in 2014.

“By 2014, in the publication which is to be launched on June 10, that has gone down to 12 per cent. (This figure) is well below, in fact, half of what the global average is, which is 27 per cent of people globally, admit(ting) to taking or pay(ing) a bribe,” he said.

LAPOP functions as a consortium of academic and non-governmental institutions and individuals across the Americas. Its principal survey project is a bi-annual regional survey of the Americas called the Americas Barometer.

The survey measures citizen views on system support, political tolerance, citizen participation, local government, corruption, and authoritarianism, and many other topics related to democratic politics and opinion.

Citing several departments within the JCF – MOCA, the Community Safety and Security Branch and the Anti-Corruption Branch – Professor Munroe said the work being undertaken by them “are responsible for so much that is positive in what continues to be a very significant struggle to combat corruption.”

Some of the material handed over by USAID/COMET II included training handbooks/manuals to assist the JCF in building a culture of lawfulness among its members; MOCA branded exercise books to support the Anti-Lottery Scam School Outreach Programme; brochures on the Safe Schools Programme; handbooks aimed at supporting the Neighbourhood Watch Programme; community based policing brochures; and manuals on personal safety plans aimed at supporting the police youth club and neighbourhood watch programmes.

One of the core objectives of the COMET II project is to promote community-driven activities to contribute to improved crime prevention, intervention and enforcement by addressing underlying causes of crime and promoting improved communications and interactions between citizens and police.