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