He stated:

“Divisional commanders are to increase road-policing activities, deployments in market districts, shopping centres, commercial areas, transportation centres and along major thoroughfares,” Ellington said in the Force Orders issued yesterday … Special attention must be paid to financial institutions and all entities generating significant cash transactions.”

Divisional commanders were reminded also, that in preparation for the heightened activities during the Christmas season, administrative duties should be scaled down and the personnel should be deployed to operational duties.

In the Force Orders issued yesterday, Commissioner Ellington stated: “Commencing immediately, the Representation of the People Act and the Public Order Act must form the subject of lectures for the next eight weeks and the names of all persons who attend forwarded to area headquarters. Selection, vetting and training of special district constables must also be a priority over the next eight weeks.”

Commissioner Ellington also highlighted that members of the security forces are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that law and order is maintained at all political and public meetings leading up to the general election: “Once nomination day is announced, all meetings conducted by politicians leading up to election day are dubbed political meetings and the full extent of the Public Order Act must be applied … Polling stations are manned by presiding officers, poll clerks and other election-day workers who should be properly identified on election day. Their security must be guaranteed by the security forces for them to carry out their functions in an effective and efficient manner … If a person misconducts himself in a polling station, or fails to obey the lawful orders of the presiding officer, he may immediately, by order of the presiding officer, be removed from the polling station by a police constable.“

The Commissioner stated: “It has come to notice that since the modification of the procedures regarding the investigation of accidents involving force vehicles, there has been an increase in the number of persons involved in accidents with police vehicles being charged/ticketed for breaches of the Road Traffic Act immediately after the accident.”

“From all appearances, this practice represents an effort by police officers to place blame for the accident on the other party to the accident …. This practice must cease forthwith. On no occasion must the other party in an accident involving a police vehicle be charged before the ruling of the clerk of courts is obtained.”

Commissioner Ellington also reiterated the commands that were issued in June this year “regarding the procedures for investigation of accidents involving force vehicles”. Among other things, the force orders clearly stated that members of the police force involved in a crash must be breathalysed within four hours of the accident or as soon as possible within a 24-hour window.

The JCF orders also outlined that the “responsibility for the proper investigation of an accident involving a force vehicle rests with the officer in charge of the division where the accident has occurred”. It also noted that “every accident involving a force vehicle must be investigated by a sub-officer not below the rank of sergeant.

“Each accident will be reported within 24 hours to the commissioner of police, deputy commissioner of police, inspectorate of constabulary, the assistant commissioner of police in charge Services Branch, senior superintendent of police in charge Traffic Division and superintendent of police in charge Transport and Repairs Division, and the damaged unit immediately taken out of service,” read another section of the force orders.

Commissioner Ellington stated “It is noted that despite the republications of instructions … the practice of police witnesses failing to attend courts still gives cause for concern … The unnecessary delays caused by such non-attendance may be classified as discourtesy, disrespect and contempt of the courts and the process of justice.”

He warned that if for any good reason they were unable to attend court when required, every effort should be made to inform the court in good time before the hearing, giving reasons for the non-attendance. He added, “Every case of infringement will be regarded as disobedience of my orders, and disciplinary action will be taken by way of court of enquiry.“

According to the Commissioner (in the Force Orders), “Drivers who display a lackadaisical attitude, fail to display due care and responsibility, who have repeated disciplinary issues and frequent accidents and have a tendency to speed unnecessarily should be removed from driving assignments forthwith.”

He added that information on those drivers who have been relieved of driving duties should be passed to the assistant commissioner of police in charge of administration, “with a view to cease payment of the relevant allowance”.

The review will be conducted by local commanding officers.

At the opening earlier today, National Security Minister Dwight Nelson said the refurbishing and upgrading of the armoury included a more rigid security system, which was boosted by an $8-million donation from telecommunications provider LIME.

The Minister said “The completion of this armoury is indeed an accomplishment; it signals that a new day has dawned with the implementation of a more rigid system of accountability in place.” He added that there would also be improved record keeping at the armoury, and that the storage and recording of arms and ammunition in police stations islandwide should be enhanced and upgraded like those at the armoury.

Police Commissioner Owen Ellington, who also spoke at the ceremony, said as part of the new security measures, persons selected to staff the armoury were carefully screened and were subjected to polygraph tests. Commissioner Ellington added that efforts are also being made to implement all 24 recommendations that were made by the audit team.

Work done to refurbish the armoury was carried out by Jamaica Defence Force soldiers, while containers that were used in sections of the building were contributed by Dennis Lalor of the Insurance Company of the West Indies. Caribbean Cement donated cement and King Alarm carried out work on security features at the facility.

The report states that more than 200 Jamaican cops have been dismissed since the inception of the police’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) and “The commissioner has taken a strong public stance against corruption and is continuing to implement and expand the strategic reform process that was initiated by the former JCF commissioner …. However, it is unclear whether the commissioner will secure the necessary legislative and executive support, both in funding and political backing, to make significant and enduring progress in combating police corruption and transforming the institution.” … more details here

In the Force Orders, Ellington stated: “The frequency with which service vehicles are involved in accidents has reached alarming proportions …. A review of a number of recent accidents has revealed some laughable and unacceptable explanations … especially when assessed against the nature and extent of the damage done.” He declared that the explanations had given rise to suspicion that drivers and their passengers had been fabricating stories as to how these accidents occurred.

According to the commissioner, the frequent accidents are having a debilitating effect on the capacity of the force to respond to calls, and is actually frustrating the efforts to suppress crime and violence.

In the weekly Force Orders released yesterday, Commissioner Ellington stated “It has been brought to (my) attention that in recent times, items of kit issued to members of the force, some of whom have either been separated from the organisation by way of resignations, dismissals, or who are deceased, have been recovered during police operations targeting members of the criminal underworld.”

Additionally, in order to ensure accountability, the commissioner has instructed commanding officers to conduct quarterly inspections of items of kit issued to each member under their command.

He stated: “It has been observed that in recent times service vehicles are being driven on the public roads in a manner which not only contravenes force policy regarding patrols and pursuit operations, but a clear abuse of authority,” the commissioner said. “The practice not only has legal implications, but is dangerous both to the general public and force members who operate these units. This practice must cease forthwith.”

He also addressed the long-known practice, where some police personnel use sirens on police vehicles to bully their way through thick traffic, even when no evidence existed that they were responding to an emergency. He said the practice of cops driving on the soft shoulder or the right side of the road, even when on emergency missions, displayed a disregard for the road code and was careless. According to Commissioner Ellington, “Whenever the situation warrants the use of (emergency signals) siren and blue light, the operator of the police vehicle must first communicate with Police Control or his immediate supervisor and state the reasons for its use and duration. Service vehicle operators should, under all circumstances, be particularly considerate when operating in emergency situations and observe the prescribed speed limits.”

Commissioner Ellington also issued a directive to police personnel to not indulge in high-speed chases, and finally, he ordered divisional commanders to take the following steps whenever a police service vehicle is involved in an accident.

• Ensure that drivers do a breathalyzer test within four hours after the accident or as soon as possible after but within 24 hours;
• Ensure that investigations are conducted impartially and that all relevant facts surrounding accidents are ascertained;
• Ensure that where necessary driver(s) are suspended from driving and suspension notices are properly endorsed;
• Ensure that warning notices of intended prosecution are served promptly on both police and civilian drivers and properly endorsed;
• Ensure that initial reports of accidents are made within 24 hours and written reports are submitted to the Commissioner of Police within 72 hours;
• Ensure that the advice of the Clerk of Courts or other law officers of the Crown is sought where necessary; and
• Ensure that where necessary disciplinary proceedings are instituted.

Ellington also ordered members of the constabulary who were not authorised to wear plainclothes while on duty, to wear their uniforms while driving in police vehicles.