INDECOM Head Looking to Improve Collaboration with Police

Head of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), Terrence Williams, has called on upstanding law enforcement officers to collaborate with the agency in bringing corrupt members forward.

“We know there are many of them, who join the force, who are good and want to give good service. Our campaign for this next period is to reach out to them, for them to maintain the pride of their organisation by pointing out and indicating when persons have not met the proper standard,” he said.

Mr. Williams was delivering remarks as he was sworn in for another five-year term as INDECOM Commissioner, during a ceremony on Monday, July 27, at King’s House.

The attorney-at-law, was in 2010, appointed as the first commissioner of the agency set up by Government to investigate claims against the police, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the correctional service.

He maintained that INDECOM should be seen as a partner to the “good policeman, the good soldier, the good correctional officer, not an adversary”.

Mr. Williams said the decline in the number of police fatal shootings over the last two years has been a significant achievement of the Commission since its inception.

He noted that Jamaica has recorded fewer than 50 police fatal shootings for the first half of this year. There were 140 such incidents last year, down from the over 200 per year for the previous 10 years.

Governor General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, who presided over the swearing ceremony, called on the Commissioner to use his experience over the past five years to facilitate greater collaborations.

“You have the benefit of reflecting on what you have done well, what you could have done better (and) what you could have done differently …and I am sure you will draw on these to facilitate greater co-operations between yourself, your office and the security forces and the people,” he said.