‘Chucky’ Brown Trial | Accused named mastermind behind ‘special’ police squad, says INDECOM

Assistant commissioner of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) Hamish Campbell is expected to face a second day of cross-examination following yesterday's revelation that a high-ranking Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) officer allegedly supplied the resources to the 'special' police squad to carry out killings. He also said that there was an alleged coordinated effort within the Clarendon Police Division to cover up the actions of the team.

Testifying on day six of the trial for murder-accused police Constable Collis 'Chucky' Brown at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston yesterday, Campbell said that Brown told him during their meeting at the INDECOM headquarters on August 10, 2013, that "the team was supplied with a motor vehicle and 'keep-and-care' M-16 rifles and ordinary handguns" by a senior officer within the Clarendon Police Division.

Keep-and-care firearms are kept by the officer on and off-duty.

Campbell also revealed that Brown told him that the May Pen Police Station would cover up the killings allegedly committed by the 'special' squad.

"He said they would bring guns and would plant them. They would make up their evidence back at the station with the CIB (Criminal Investigations Branch) to ensure that their stories were the same and would explain shootings," Campbell testified.

The court was told that squad members first began operating as rogues, but due to suspicions being raised, they decided to conduct their activities as uniformed members of the police force.

"Undercover shootings were being suspected to be committed by police officers undercover, and so they decided to revert to an overt police team," Campbell said.

Brown, who has been in custody since 2014, is indicted on five charges stemming from the January 10, 2009, murder of Robert 'Gutty' Dawkins and the December 13, 2012, murders of Dwayne Douglas and Andrew Fearon.

Both incidents took place in Clarendon.