Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KINGSTON41
2005-01-05 20:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kingston
Cable title:  

JCF COMMISSIONER FORBES OUT, LUCIUS THOMAS IN

Tags:  SNAR PREL KCRM JM 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000041 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) AND INL/LP (KBROWN),DS/IP/WHA,
DS/IP/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2014
TAGS: SNAR PREL KCRM JM
SUBJECT: JCF COMMISSIONER FORBES OUT, LUCIUS THOMAS IN

REF: KINGSTON 02801

Classified By: Ambassador Sue M. Cobb for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000041

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) AND INL/LP (KBROWN),DS/IP/WHA,
DS/IP/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2014
TAGS: SNAR PREL KCRM JM
SUBJECT: JCF COMMISSIONER FORBES OUT, LUCIUS THOMAS IN

REF: KINGSTON 02801

Classified By: Ambassador Sue M. Cobb for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: On Saturday, January 1, 2005, the Jamaica
Police Service Commission (PSC) announced that it had
accepted the resignation of Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)
Commissioner, Francis Forbes, effective January 19. The PSC
communiqu commended Forbes for his accomplishments as
Commissioner and reported that he would be taking up a
position with CARICOM as Director in the Project
Implementation Agency for Crime and Security based in Port of
Spain. Forbes, one of the youngest to hold the
Commissioner's position, served in that capacity for eight
years but opted for retirement two years earlier than
expected. Deputy Commissioner Lucius Thomas will become the
next JCF Commissioner. End Summary.


2. (C) In what could be considered a surprise announcement on
New Years Day, the Police Service Commission (PSC) accepted
the resignation of veteran JCF Commissioner Francis Forbes,
effective January 19, 2005. Forbes' rapid rise through the
JCF ranks made him one of the youngest and longest serving
commissioners, having joined the force at age 19 in 1970 and
becoming Commissioner in 1996. News reports speculated as to
the timing of the announcement, commenting that his
resignation was inevitable given the record 2004 murder rate
and the public pressure for government to do something about
crime in Jamaica.

--------------
Forbes' Legacy
--------------


3. (C) There were 1,469 murders in Jamaica in 2004,
surpassing the previous year by more than 51 percent.
Jamaica launched Operation Kingfish in October 2004 (Reftel)
in an effort to stem the rising rate of gang-related violent
crime but most of the Kingfish activities centered on
international narcotics crimes prosecuted by other nations
off Jamaican shores. Neither the JCF nor the Ministry of
National Security (MNS) have won public confidence in the
ongoing operation and the crime rate has not decreased
accordingly. There have been several attempts at creating new
programs and "operations" to deal with the escalating crime,
all of which have failed. Forbes has not taken responsibility

for the level of crime in Jamaica, claiming that he was not
provided with the resources needed to effectively carry out
programs to combat the problem.


4. (C) Working with the WHA-funded Law Enforcement
Development Advisor (LEDA) Project, now in its third year,
Commissioner Forbes had committed to the implementation of a
JCF regionalization concept effective April 1, 2005, to
coincide with the Jamaican fiscal year. However, during a
private meeting with the LEDA after Forbes' departure
announcement, Forbes indicated that the regionalization, a
cornerstone of the restructuring of the JCF, could be cost
prohibitive. (Note: The goal of the regionalization concept
is to bring greater accountability and effectiveness to the
JCF by breaking the island into four regions with one senior
officer responsible for each region reporting directly to the
Commissioner. Forbes' statement may be the reason he has not
been more cooperative in implementing this phase of the
overall reform project. End note.) In addition, the
announcement that three foreign police officers, presumably
from the UK, would be joining the JCF at the Deputy
Commissioner level and be operational, leaves unclear the
direction the JCF is planning to take. Forbes indicated to
the LEDA that he was unaware of the role the UK officers
would play indicating that he has been left out of the
planning loop.

--------------
Thomas' Initiative
--------------


5. (C) Lucius Thomas is the current Deputy Commissioner for
Crime and is the logical choice among the three current
deputies. He will begin his duties as Commissioner on
January 19. Although Thomas has lots of operational
know-how, he lacks management experience. He will have to
learn this most important aspect of the new assignment, "on
the job". (Comment: Post believes that Thomas will be
effective in this position as he has collaborated with Post
on different initiatives and has proven receptive to USG
programs and interests. However, rumors and unsubstantiated
allegations about Thomas suggest his possible involvement in
corrupt conduct during his earlier years with the JCF. The
allegations were never corroborated. End Comment.)


6. (C) During a meeting with Poloff in late December, Thomas
explained that the increase in the murder rate is due in part
to the increase in guns that come from the U.S. He alleged
that 60 percent of the handguns that are on the streets in
Jamaica come from ports in Miami and New York although he
noted that there is definitely an increase in weapons coming
from Haiti. Thomas implicated extortion and the drug trade
as also playing a large role but noted that politics continue
to play a part in the escalating numbers as the
unavailability of government contracts, poverty, and the lack
of "political will" in areas such as Clarendon and St. James
continue to fuel violence.


7. (C) Explaining that the Constabulary Communications
Network (CCN) is not a public relations entity, Thomas
claimed that the GOJ must get out the word that "if you are
not involved, you won't get killed." He explained that 95
percent of the individuals that have been victims of homicide
are in some way related to the drug trade, extortion or some
other illegal activity.

--------------
JCF Corruption is Out of Control
--------------


8. (C) Thomas lamented that corruption exists in virtually
every part of the JCF. He stated that every illegal
operation in Jamaica - gangs, drug runners, extortionists,
etc. have at least two to three JCF officers involved. He
noted that it is impossible for the illegal activity to take
place without JCF assistance. Poloff inquired as to what was
hampering the JCF from taking purposeful measures to address
this, to which Thomas replied that the Commissioner does not
have the authority to hire and fire. Effective measures to
deal with JCF corruption is also complicated by the way the
law is written and with police union backing for the accused,
it could take years to have an officer removed. He also
noted that no one will come forward as a witness to testify
against another officer, describing this as a serious
cultural problem within the JCF. He claimed that through
intelligence sharing the JCF is now more capable of building
a case, however, they are still hampered by ineffective
policies.


9. (C) Comment: Public reaction to the announcement of Thomas
as the new Commissioner has been positive. Thomas will be
working under a microscope as he takes up the position in the
wake of the highest murder rate in Jamaican history. Public
sentiment underscores this fact with Jamaican citizens
calling for Thomas to be provided with the resources
necessary to do the job. Post will collaborate closely with
the new Commissioner to urge the JCF to move forward with
restructuring of the force. Whether or not Thomas will truly
be an effective Commissioner remains to be seen; however,
Post anticipates the presence of the LEDA will provide the
necessary expertise in the area of management that Thomas is
lacking. End Comment.
COBB