SENIOR FOREIGN POLICE OFFICER REQUESTS EMBASSY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 002224 SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/LP (BOZZOLO),WHA/CAR (BENT),WHA/PDA, CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (BRANSON),DOJ FOR OPDAT (LIPMAN),WHA/PPC (ARMSTRONG),DS/IP/WHA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2014 TAGS: PREL SNAR KCRM ASEC JM SUBJECT: SENIOR FOREIGN POLICE OFFICER REQUESTS EMBASSY COOPERATION IN ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS REF: KINGSTON 02107 Classified By: Charge Ronald Robinson for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On September 15, at his request, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields visited Embassy Kingston to meet with NAS Director, RSO, TAT, and DAO to discuss expanding cooperation in addressing corruption within the JCF. Shields is a senior officer with the London Metropolitan Police currently on contract to the JCF to assist in the reform of that organization. The meeting was a follow-on to an August 29 meeting between Shields and NAS Director - reftel. Shields began by reiterating that corruption is widespread in the JCF and that, even though he does not have support from Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas to tackle corruption, he will nevertheless continue to work on corruption matters. Shields awaits the arrival of additional foreign officers to gain operational and moral support to fight what he described as "rampant" corruption with the JCF. ¶2. (C) Shields specifically asked Embassy law enforcement officials to assist him in this endeavor by providing to him directly, any information or evidence of corruption by JCF officers. He stated that while some lower-level officers have been arrested for misdeeds, these were tended to be for petty offences such as soliciting or accepting bribes from motorists. Shields noted that targeting senior officers will send a clearer message that corruption will not be tolerated. In return for Embassy cooperation, Shields offered to provide emboffs with specific information on all cases related to U.S. citizens as well as general information on crime in Jamaica. ¶3. (C) RSO and Shields discussed three senior officers that have been implicated in illegal operations ranging from drug smuggling to selling illegal weapons and ammunition. Shields stated that he has received telephone calls from private individuals as well as from other JCF officers, and that the same senior officers' names are always mentioned. Shields and RSO scheduled a follow-on meeting to discuss how they might work together to see that the three senior officers are properly investigated. ¶4. (C) Comment: Shields' expression of interest in working closely with the Embassy in pressing an anti-corruption agenda seems genuine, and he is clearly frustrated by senior JCF colleagues' unwillingness to work with him. He needs as much support as he can get. As appropriate, Post will continue to work with Shields and press the GOJ to take meaningful steps to address corruption. ROBINSON