In the words of the Commish

With confirmation yesterday of Police Commissioner Dr Carl Williams' impending retirement, the nation's chief policing post will soon become vacant for the fifth time since 2005.

Williams, who came with a stamp of approval from some of the country's major international partners, was given the nod on September 8, 2014, after being shortlisted among five other senior crime fighters.

At his inauguration on September 15, 2014, he said: "I am deeply honoured to stand before you today as the 28th commissioner of the Jamaica Constabulary Force."

His predecessor, Owen Ellington, held the job for four years before he, too, opted for early retirement.

Prior to Ellington's ascension, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin and Lucius Thomas also completed two-year tenures.

Jamaica has had 15 top cops since Independence, the longest serving being Francis A. Forbes, who held the post from 1996-2005.

Below are statements from Dr Williams on topical issues during his term in office.

 

Swearing-in Ceremony - September 15, 2014

 

Corruption: "I give you my personal commitment that under my watch, the JCF will act decisively to remove any member who has chosen the path of corruption. The creation of the new MOCA task force, which combines the best resources of the former MOCA task force and the anti-corruption branch, will strengthen our ability to root out and prosecute those who undermine the mission of the security forces and tarnish the reputation of the JCF."

Accountability and transparency: "I want to assure the people of Jamaica that under my leadership, the JCF will do everything within its power to respond to your concerns about the conduct of the police. We will ensure that there is accountability at all levels in the JCF and that our police officers will be held to the highest standards of integrity."

 

Friday, November 28, 2014

 

Accountability and transparency: "The JCF for the future will have no place for those who continue to tarnish it ... there must be accountability and transparency at all levels, from the constable to the commissioner, both internally and externally ... we have since appointed an information operations manager who will be strategically placed to provide information and coordinate events similar to that of the CCU (Constabulary Communications Unit)."

Crime: "Over the years, we have had numerous challenges ... we are a group of people that are overworked and some would say underpaid. We are under-resourced and we have to deal with the monster of crime, which is the national security problem as I'm not sure there is anything comparable."

 

Friday, July 3, 2015

 

Crime: "Everybody needs to know that it's not just the police, but they, too, have a role to play instead of standing aside and counting bodies ... . The community and the media also have a role to play."

 

Monday, July 4, 2016

 

Lottery scamming: "Lottery scamming is the evil that is so pervasive across Jamaica. It is the most significant reason for the upsurge in violence."

Lottery scamming: "A lot of people in businesses know about the people who are committing crimes in relation to lottery scamming. We would like them to tell us what's happening. Even if they cannot refuse to do business with these scammers, they can tell us what's happening."

 

Friday, September 23, 2016

 

Crime: "Criminals cooperate with each other to commit crimes, and law enforcement must do the same to defeat them. International law enforcement cooperation is the best way to pursue criminals who, in committing their crimes, show no concern for national or jurisdictional boundaries."

 

Saturday, December 3, 2016

 

Violence: "Despite efforts of the JCF to stem incidents of domestic violence, it is impossible for the police to always be present before incidents occur, and so these are some contributing factors that occur outside of the control of the police."

 

Friday, September 30, 2016

 

Violence: "What we have seen in the last decade, or so, is violence shifting from the urban communities of Kingston and St Andrew to the rural communities, so there is a shift in the murders from urban to rural."