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No policing plan is going to work in isolation

Published:Tuesday | April 6, 2021 | 12:09 AM

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Rear Admiral (Rtd) Hardley Lewin articulated about policing plan in his articles in The Gleaner. These policing plans seem to be still in the making, as nothing has been effective to reduce crime in his time of service. The ideology of a policing plan, including the involvement of communities, should be restricted to getting and collating information from the people but not working with them to disclose it. People are tight-lipped in these communities against crime.

The experienced Admiral must know that the weak link to crime fighting over the years is the politically influenced blood shed. But, lately crime is being driven by poverty and lack of gainful activity to create a sense of worth in the minds of the distressed people. The years of ‘rhetoric oppression’ has obliterated any authenticity of ‘better must come’. The people in despair are now depending on themselves for survival in the most vicious way of ‘dog eat dog’. Murders and larceny escalate.

So, Admiral Lewin, it comes back to, depending on the politicians that run Jamaica, collaboration with the private sector, civil society groups and the wider population. Without the cooperation of these sectors to sincerely orchestrate a plan to put the welfare of people first, and the rejuvenation of religious leaders’ input, your proposed policing plan will not see the light of day.

ALTHEA WHYTE

United States