Jamaican Police.Com

Letter to the Jamaica Observer editor – Wednesday, September 1, 2010
From: Peter Townsend (petertown1@yahoo.com)
Re: Jamaica’s Police Force Spirals Out Of Control

The Editor, Sir

It seems that something has gone awry with the Ocho Rios police personnel as Jamaica’s police force continues to spiral out of control.

The reported cold-blooded killing of 25-year-old Constable Sheldon Williams of St Mary at the hands of policemen from Ocho Rios on August 29 is not only crude, unnecessary and frightening, but is a grim warning to tourists and ordinary citizens of Jamaica … more

Tags : Peter Townsend

A high-level probe is reportedly under way at this time, following the shooting death late yesterday evening, of a policeman in the vicinity of the Ocho Rios Police Station in St. Ann. Reports indicate that a police constable was shot and killed, and another policeman wounded, as police personnel reportedly traded bullets with each other.

The dead policeman as been identified as Constable Sheldon Williams (also called ‘Sylvan’) of the police armoury in Kingston and a Gayle, St Mary address. According to reports, Williams was at a dance on a boat in the Ocho Rios area, where he allegedly discharged several rounds from his firearm in a gun salute during the party. Other police who were on the boat reportedly warned him for prosecution, and he was later picked up by a police team as he disembarked the boat.

He was taken to the Ocho Rios police station for processing, and his firearm confiscated. It is alleged that while being processed, Constable Williams grabbed his gun and fled the station. Other officers reportedly went in pursuit, and during a chase Williams allegedly began firing at them and injured one of the chase party. Williams was then shot and killed.

Meanwhile, earlier this morning, relatives and friends Williams protested in front of the Ocho Rios Police Station, claiming that he was murdered by his colleagues.

Tags : policeman killed, Sheldon Williams

Basic pay numbers for Jamaica’s police .. taken from a feature in today’s Jamaica Observer newspaper.

An entry-level police constable’s basic pay is $581,701 each year … $48,475 per month. They receive a housing allowance of $25,680 and get $13,270 for a set overtime period of 10 hours, which totals $87,425. Upper-level constables earn almost 10 per cent more.

At the top of the officer class — excluding the ranks of commissioner and deputy commissioner which are contracted posts — assistant commissioners at the top of the scale for that category moved from $4.7 million on April 1, 2008 to $6.27 million in basic salary last year, an increase of 33 per cent, or more than $1.5 million. Over the same period, those at the bottom of the scale moved from $4.06 million to $5.27 million, an increase of 30 per cent.

Deputy commissioners earn in the region of $6.5 million while the commissioner is paid between $8 and $10 million per annum.

Tags : Jamaica Police Pay, Jamaica Police Wages, Salaries For Jamaican Police

A Montego Bay traffic policeman (whose name is being withheld, but who reportedly has over 11 years of service with the force) was arrested yesterday by members of the Police Anti-Corruption Branch, on suspicion of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act. He was held at approximately 11 a.m. during a sting operation.

According to reports, he was arrested after he allegedly collected money from a bus driver for the release of his vehicle from a pound. The bus driver’s bus was reportedly impounded two days ago, and it is alleged that the policeman wanted money in order for the vehicle to be released. The Anti-Corruption Branch was notified, and a sting operation was set up in the vicinity of the car pound. The policeman was then held after he reportedly pocketed the specially marked cash that was paid over to him during the sting operation.

Tags : corruption prevention act, montego bay, Traffic Policeman

In May of this year, the Darling Street police station was severely damaged after it was firebombed during the civil unrest around the time that the security forces were attempting to apprehend Tivoli Gardens strongman, Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke. Initial reports indicated that it would cost approximately $8 million to repair it, and just yesterday, three corporate sponsors – the National Commercial Bank (NCB), LIME and Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) – stepped up in a big way, contributing $2 million each for the rebuilding effort.

Tags : Darling Street Police Station, LIME, National Commercial Bank, NCB, Supreme Ventures Limited, SVL