PCOA Pleased With Response Of JCF

The Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) says the organisation is pleased with the response of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to its Accountability Framework Initiative.

The Initiative has four phases – the Transforming Our Police Service (TOPS) Competition, held in one of five Area Commands;  TOPS Awards Ceremony;  Performance review meeting with JCF High Command, including the Commissioner of Police, Area Commander, Divisional Commanders and PCOA Members to agree upon deliverables for improvement; and Reinspections to determine whether deliverables have been met.

Speaking with JIS News, PCOA Senior Director, Inspections and Monitoring, Andrew Beaumont, said since the conclusion of the second annual TOPS Competition in November last year, the organisation has been working closely with the JCF to improve compliance with the proper policing standards.

“We started the last phase following the meeting with the JCF High Command in March of this year. We are now in the last phase of the initiative to determine if agreed-upon deliverables for improvement have been met in Area 5 divisions – St. Thomas, St. Andrew North, St. Catherine South and St. Catherine North,” he noted.

The PCOA assesses compliance with the JCF’s standard operating procedures, including Records Management, Station Administration, Station Facility, Utilities Conservation and Customer Service.

“We have had 100 per cent support from the JCF’s management, from the Commissioner of Police all the way down. The interesting thing is some officers were excited for us to come to their stations to show their improvement, and during the competition they wanted their station to win and be recognised,” Mr. Beaumont said.

He argued that the effective enforcement and monitoring by the PCOA will contribute to Vision 2030 Jamaica, the strategic national development plan.

“To get to a place where we can do business and raise families, we need an even more solid running police, so TOPS pushes the issue of the Force becoming more responsible in how they deal with its citizens, records management, how the Force deals with crime and also reduces crime,” Mr. Beaumont said.

The PCOA, an agency under the Ministry of National Security, operates as a mechanism, separate from the police force, to ensure accountability, adherence to policy guidelines and observance of proper policing standards by the police force.