New Commissioner to Develop Culture of Proactive Policing

New Police Commissioner, George Fitzroy Quallo, has committed to developing a culture of proactive policing within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), that focuses on crime prevention.

This, he says, will be characterized by significantly boosting the JCF’s resources and capabilities and forging new and strengthening existing partnerships.

Mr. Quallo was speaking  at his installation as Jamaica’s 29^th Police Commissioner, held at the Police Officers’ Club in St. Andrew on  April 28.

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, who presented the Commissioner with his Instrument of Office; Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness; National Security Minister, Hon. Robert Montague; and Opposition Leader, Dr. Peter Phillips, headed the dignitaries and other guests who attended the ceremony.

The new Commissioner said central to the JCF’s focus on arresting crime and violence is the need for the organization’s intelligence capabilities to reflect the current demands.

Simultaneously, he said, the JCF’s analytical tools have to be upgraded to produce relevant and reliable information.

“I commit to ensuring that greater attention and resources are focused on the expansion and improvement of our intelligence machinery. I firmly believe that with better and more calculated intelligence, the quest for preventing crime will be enriched and will find expression in more coordinated and successful responses,” the Commissioner said.

Another key imperative, Mr. Quallo noted, is the need for a dedicated and competent workforce.

Noting that he is “under no illusion” that the task of dealing with crime is easy, Mr. Quallo argued that capacity building and training “will be essential.”

As such, the Commissioner said the National Police College of Jamaica’s curriculum is among the areas that will be reviewed.

“This will be done with a view to ensuring that the messages of professionalism and people’s rights are given the strongest focus. I believe a properly trained police force will build professionalism and significantly impact our main responsibility of creating a safer society,” he added.

The Commissioner assured the JCF’s members that he would also be placing significant focus on safeguarding their welfare in order to make it easier for them to carry out the tasks they were trained for “and that is to serve and to protect all of us.”

Mr. Quallo said his stewardship would also be characterized by a “valiant” fight against corruption in the JCF.

In his remarks, Mr. Montague described Mr. Quallo as a “humble man” who, having served the organization for 40 years, is “suitably prepared to take up the mantle of the JCF’s leadership.”

The Minister reminded him that as the nation’s top cop, “Jamaicans are also charging you to take on the varied challenges of transforming the JCF into a modern day police service.”

Mr. Montague said the country recognized that Mr. Quallo’s success “is our success as a nation” and that “every citizen must own crime fighting and work with you and your members to eliminate this destructive monster.”

“The Government of Jamaica pledges its support to you…and we call on all Jamaicans to extend the same to you. Your open door policy to your members and the public alike is very much appreciated. Today, I offer you a similar open door policy as together we will work to determine and implement the most efficient and effective ways to curb crime,” the Minister added.

The Minister also praised Deputy Commissioner, Novelette Grant, for  leading the JCF during her 90-day stint as Acting Commissioner.

The ceremony featured a parade mounted by members from several of the JCF’s branches under the command of Senior Superintendent, Calvin Allen.