Shields says Jamaica can tame crime monster
Former deputy commissioner for the Jamaica Constabulary (JCF) Force, Mark Shields told a forum here Wednesday that he believes Jamaica’s current crime problems “can be fixed”.
“We can tame the monster,” he told his audience, as he pointed to “considerable reductions on the island’s murder rate”, which he attributed to the state of emrgecy in sections of Kingston, St Catherine and St James, as well as the zones of special operations in Denham Town, Kingston and Mount Salem, St James.
Shields, who was delivering the keynote address at the 14th annual Caribbean International Network’s lecture series at Schomburg Library in Manhattan, warned, however, that it would be “an illusion to think that fixing the crime problem can be achieved solely by the JCF itself”.
He acknowledged the assistence of corruption and other ills that impact the effectiveness of the Jamaican police force, but argued that there is need for support to be given to the constabulary as “everybody has to play a role”, in the implementation of measures to reduce the island’s crime rate.
At the same time, Shields said he would like to see the same type of urgency, political will, and energy that have been displayed in improving the economy applied to the efforts in reducing the crime rate.
Meanwhile, in urging support for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Shields said that it is “not possible for members with a family to survive on a monthly salary of US$700 monthly, which he said was one of the reasons many of the well-trained members of the force were leaving.
The former lawman also called for the speedy implementation of several measures — some of which are already under way — to assist the police in their fight against crime. These, he said, include establishment of a DNA database; and granting the authority that will allow the force to suspend and subsequently dismiss any member who is found guilty of wrongdoing.
These and other measures, he said, should be accompanied by the requisite budgetary allocation to the force.
Shields, in the meantime, called for politicians to “discontinue playing politics with crime, and for members of the Jamaican Diaspora to report those members among them who were shipping weapons in barrels to the island, “as these are being used to murder your families and your friends”.
Crime can surely curve in Jamaica with the assistance of politicians, justice system and so called business people. The police alone can’t do it
Shields cudnt wait fi get di hell outta dere loll
Crime can curb but the political will must be there. Politicians who are or have been in bed with criminals since the late 60s must be exposed f@@®[legacy. We need a house cleaning it started with the polticians and it must end with them. You can’t put together a crime plan when the politicians are still in bed with Dons and gangs. Dismantle the garrisons first. Expose all the criminals who are in bed with politicians now .
Is after him left that the crime a guh dung. Dat man ongle come nyam Jamaican govt money and did not do shyt. While him a complain bout salary of the average police personnel, did he ever take a pay cut to ensure their pay could go up? KMT
Suh why him neva fix it? He was given the opportunity and prime dollars along with a selection of pussy as incentive and still he didnt curb it.
U nuh easy enuh but u r indeed correct! The British accident ketch dem
:rate :ngakak *ACCIDENT” :ngakak when I say this referring to another’s ACCENT people always looks pon me like me luuu…but h now mi ah go start it back again caws see me have company ya in ah de “luu” Dept. :ngakak
It’s very hard to curve because it spread out all over the island.. if it’s in the cities only we can get a grip on it but when u go in the hills where the badman dem know the place better than the crime fighters it hard to do.. Business people now going to help bcuz they are the ones benefiting the most.. 80% of the people involved in crime don’t even have a passport are a job but the have a Ak47 what does that tells u.. crime is a full time job.. not until jamaicans wake up realize seh there are some outside influence trying to take over the country it won’t stop..
He has a point they need to attack it with the same urgency because crime can easily cripple the economy they are working so hard to grow. Politics why him never curb it and why it still no curb. Listen if the Clarendon death squad were able to find the so called “criminals” and tried to get rid of them why you think the Police and politicians in each community don’t know who are the master minds? They know. Family report unnu relatives dem Jamaica can be paradise again it no too late report dem!