Steve McGregor says commissioner must come from inside JCF
Published:Tuesday | February 13, 2018 | 12:00 AMJason Cross/Gleaner Writer
Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Steve McGregor says he is watching intently to see which of his senior colleagues will make a move for the now vacant police commissioner post, before he decides if he is to submit his own application to the Police Services commission.
Speaking with The Gleaner at a recent event organised by the National Council on Drug Abuse at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew, McGregor stressed that at a time when the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is being heavily scrutinised for one thing or another, uniting with other members of the force and supporting the most suitable candidate is the best thing to do.
"I have not officially put in my application to the Police Services Commission (PSC) as yet, because I am waiting to see the posture of my senior colleagues. The way the wind is blowing now, I think that our best chance is to galvanise around one candidate that we think is the best (person) to go forward."
McGregor sought to shoot down calls from some persons including retired policemen that the next commissioner should come from outside the JCF.
Some persons have said that because the squaddie mentality is so prevalent in the force, not much will change if another commissioner is appointed from within the JCF.
"I honestly think that the commissioner should come from within the force because we are the best to do the job. It is sad to think that people believe our leader should come from outside. It is sad even from ex-members, that we are getting a lot of criticism. I hasten to submit that the squaddie mentality, which is the support for each other, those who are retired, would have benefited from it while they were members of the force.
Police short on even weapons - McGregor
Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Steve McGregor has said that the difficulties within the Jamaica Constabulary force were "not a commissioner problem".
"The job of commissioner is an operational one and that is what we have been doing all this time. What I am saying is that the Government must give the police the necessary facilities. The standard of stations is way below what they ought to be. We are even short on weapons. The equipment we have must be of first world standard. We need proper vehicles and uniforms. We should have these things so we can hit the ground running," McGregor said.
Persons interested in the commissioner post must submit applications by February 21. A selection is expected before the end of next month.