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JCF recruitment not just about quantity but quality, says commish

Published:Wednesday | March 15, 2023 | 1:29 AMTamara Bailey/Gleaner Writer
From left: Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Corporate Communications Unit, jots down notes while speaking with Superintendent Shane McCalla, head of the Manchester Police Division, at a recent town hall in
Photo by Tamara Bailey
From left: Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Corporate Communications Unit, jots down notes while speaking with Superintendent Shane McCalla, head of the Manchester Police Division, at a recent town hall in Mandeville to give residents an opportunity to share policing concerns. At right is Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson.

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson said while there continues to be calls for an increase in the recruitment efforts of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the focus remains on improving level of service through quality assurance.

Speaking at a town hall in Mandeville, Manchester, recently, Anderson said that the longstanding issue of the needs far exceeding the means still stands, but the constraints are often met with putting a greater investment in human resources.

“Over the last two years, we have managed to realise an increase in our ability to recruit and train officers … ,” said Anderson.

He added that over the years, there has been an annual recruitment of about 400 to 500 cops, with a total of 1,250 police personnel being recruited and trained last year.

Though a number of officers recruited often leave the force for several reasons, Anderson noted that the gains are equally significant.

“We expect to lose about 400 officers per year to retirement, resignation to migration, and a few for other reasons, … but for the first time in forever, we are heading rapidly to having 13,000 officers,” he noted.

“I don’t want a reduction of quality for quantity. I want increased quality and quantity. That was something that drove and eliminated some of the ideas around how we grow the force because I believe some of those methodologies would have increased quantity without a commensurate increase in quality,” the commissioner argued.

He said as time progresses, each community will get the required number for proper policing. However, until that is done, current officers are expected to undertake additional training for professional development.

“We have to create a regime of training, mentorship and leadership so those young persons, with all of that responsibility placed on them, can exercise power and authority correctly. That’s why I am emphasising people at the centre of what we do,” said the commissioner.

Anderson indicated that every decision under his leadership is a strategic approach to fighting crime.

“There is an overarching way we do business. It is very structured, very deliberate. It is very science based and technology based and that is how we have been operating and conducting business,” he said.

He said for specific crimes such as robberies in the town centres across the island, the police will receive additional training and support.

“Based on what has been happening here, a team from Kingston has been sent for support. We have some assets – central and national assets, in terms of our police responses – and, of course, we work with JDF (Jamaica Defence Force) as well. We apply these assets when or where they are required to get the desired response. As soon as we see something flaring, we apply this to it,” he said.

tamara.bailey@gleanerjm.com