A SENIOR POLICE OFFICER DISCUSSES DEPORTEES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 001449 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (BENT),INL/LP (KBROWN, NBOZZOLO) E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2014 TAGS: PGOV KCOR KCRM JM SUBJECT: A SENIOR POLICE OFFICER DISCUSSES DEPORTEES, POLICE CORRUPTION AND RECENT CRIME PROTEST REF: A. KINGSTON 02867 ¶B. KINGSTON 01337 ¶C. KINGSTON 01349 Classified By: Charge Ronald S. Robinson for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. Summary: In a June 3 meeting with Poloff, the head of the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB),Assistant Commissioner of Police George Williams, concurred with one of the findings of an Embassy-funded study of deportees, acknowledged deep corruption within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), asserted that the May 25 Private Sector Organization of Jamaica's (PSOJ) protest against crime was "nice", and that extortion is "big business" in Jamaica. End Summary. -------------- Deportees Learned their "Trade" in Jamaica -------------- ¶2. In a recent media interview, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) George Williams, head of the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) told reporters that deportees were involved in many of the island's violent crimes. What he failed to mention, however, is that these same deportees led a life of crime before entering the United States. In a meeting on June 3, when Poloff asked Williams to elaborate on his statement, he said many of the deportees were either "leaders of gangs or very close to leaders before they went to the U.S." They are deported for one reason or another, and when they return they try to resume or gain control. Many deportees face resistance, which has resulted in shoot-outs over turf and control of extortion rings. (Note: An Embassy-funded deportee study done by Dr. Bernard Headley of the University of West Indies in October, 2004, provided an academic analysis of certain myths surrounding deportees. Although the study was not intended to ascertain the extent to which deportees impact crime in Jamaica, the study did dispel the myth that deportees go to the U.S. at a young age, become "learned" criminals and return to Jamaica where they practice their criminal skills. (Ref A) End Note.) ¶3. Williams stated that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is unable to adequately monitor deportees due to a lack of resources, but he hopes that will change. Over the past two years, CIB has requested a monitoring order for approximately twenty individuals. The order, which lasts for one year, requires deportees to inform the police of where and with whom they will live and to report to the local police station under a monthly time-frame specified by the court. Williams noted that amendments to the Fingerprint Act gives police the power to fingerprint and photograph deportees immediately upon their return to Jamaica if they were convicted of a crime in the U.S. The CIB has not utilized the fingerprint legislation since it was enacted in April, 2005. If the monitoring order is breached, the deportee is subject to criminal prosecution. None of the deportees have breached a monitoring order. -------------- Corruption in the JCF is Nothing New -------------- ¶4. On June 1, Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas told police officers at the 62nd annual Police Federation Conference that, "we have criminals among us. It is not only corporals, sergeants and inspectors, it goes all the way up." Thomas also alleged that intelligence, while insufficient to convict corrupt officers, has revealed that some officers are selling official ammunition, are involved in the illegal drug trade and share important information about police operations with criminals. ¶5. Williams was very frank in stating that he appreciated Thomas' remarks and acknowledged that everyone in the JCF are aware of who the corrupt officers are. Describing the extent of this knowledge, Williams stated "I could give you a list right now of corrupt officers that would be as long as my arm". Expressing frustration, Williams said there is nothing we can do without hard-core evidence to convict." It is the lack of evidence that has prevented the conviction of corrupt cops. -------------- Extortion and the PSOJ -------------- ¶6. When asked to give his views of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica's (PSOJ) May 25 crime protest, Williams stated that he shares the same view as many other individuals in Jamaica that the PSOJ crime protest and business lockdown is a good gesture but nothing will come of it. (Ref A). He described extortion as being conducted and endorsed at every level in the business sector and claimed that it is not being reported. Williams stated that he has personally reached out to the business sector to get details on the perpetrators; however, the business sector clams up and he does not understand why. When Poloff asked if it could possibly be due to the perception that corrupt policemen are involved in extortion, Williams acknowledged that this is a possibility in some inner-city areas, but that it is definitely not widespread. ¶7. According to Williams, criminals use funds from extortion to purchase high-powered weapons. The weapons are then used in various forms of criminality including taking the lives of police and ordinary citizens. In what he sees as collaboration from the business sector, Williams stated that some businesses "actually choose to pay freely", thus they encourage it. Unfortunately, CIB does not have firm evidence to prosecute extortionists as there are no witnesses to come forward and testify. ¶8. Comment: The allegation that deportees are the cause of an overwhelmingly large amount of crime in Jamaica will be kept alive so long as Jamaica continues to struggle with an escalating crime rate and an inability to deal with it. The GOJ's insistence that deportees from the U.S., UK, and to a lesser extent Canada, are the cause of its crime problem, implies that other countries are to bear partial blame and responsibility for the state of crime in Jamaica. ¶9. Corruption and extortion go hand-in-hand in Jamaica where private citizens do not know whom to trust and the government has not shown the will to address the problem. Thomas' announcement was greeted with support from the government, opposition and the private sector, however, as is often the case, a lack of resources and initiative to draft and pass appropriate legislation to allow for the removal of corrupt officers will thwart any action in response to Thomas' proclamation. End Comment. ROBINSON