JCF Must Engage in Process of Change – Dr. Williams

Police Commissioner, Dr. Carl Williams, says the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which is marking 148 years of existence this year, must engage in a continuing process of change in order to remain relevant and to effectively serve the public.

“We cannot remain the police force of our grandparents’ era. We must realign our operation and adopt innovative crime fighting techniques. We must embrace technology (and) we must exploit the vast reaches of social media,” he said.

Dr. Williams was addressing the 10^th annual graduation ceremony of the International University of the Caribbean (IUC), held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston on November 25.

He said it is necessary to present a force to the public that is gentler, more humane and kinder but firm in disposition, in order to effectively respond to the challenges of crime and violence.

The Police Commissioner congratulated the more than 400 graduates and urged them “not to allow past failures to diminish potential” but to “push past the limits…and own the future.”

Chancellor of the University, Hon. Patrick Robinson, in his address called for more of the country’s young people to participate in the democratic process.

He noted that failure to exercise the right to vote “is an affront to our National Heroes who struggled for the rights we now enjoy.”

Deputy Chief Education Officer in the Education Ministry, Dorrett Campbell, lauded IUC for offering technical programmes that are consistent with the demands of the local labour market and encouraged graduates to network in order to forge meaningful relationships.

She also urged them to think beyond themselves.