Lewin

IT HAS not reached the level of fisticuffs but it appears the police commissioner and the Government are on a collision course over who should shoulder the blame for the current crime level.

A day after a senior government official told The Gleaner that the Bruce Golding administration was unhappy with the leadership of the police force, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin has hit back while seeming to point the finger at the political directorate.

"Here is the crime plan," Lewin declared at a press conference yesterday, while holding up what he said are the short-term objectives of the police force.

"The strategic priorities are there. We need the grand strategy that is going to address the long-term, sustainable reduction."

The commissioner's comments came amid whisperings that he may soon be shown the door.

Golding has reportedly chided the police force over its failure to implement measures to slow the murder rate and put the brakes on other major crimes.

Official police figures show 1,198 murders to the end of September. This is three per cent less than the 1,241 murders committed over the corresponding period last year.

Little comfort

However, that is little comfort to the Golding administration, as the figures show that almost five persons were killed across Jamaica every day since the start of the year.

The situation looks worse when the major crimes list is compiled. When robberies, rapes, carnal abuse, larceny, break-ins and shootings are added to the 132 persons murdered in September, the major crimes number shoots up to 948. This is 15 per cent above the figure for September 2008.

This has reportedly angered Golding, who was acting as the minister of national security while Senator Dwight Nelson got medical treatment in the United States.

Golding reportedly met with the head of the Police Service Commission on Monday to discuss the pending leadership changes to the force. Nelson returns to work today.

Word had also spread that Lewin had accepted a job overseas.

But Lewin dismissed as "a nasty rumour" the whisperings that he had resigned to join the Bermuda Police Force.

"I wish to assure you that this uniform and insignia here is still the Jamaica Constabulary Force, not the Bermuda Police Force," Lewin said.

The commissioner also told the media that there were many people who would love to see his back. He said these persons exist in politics, business, the police force and even the media, but noted that he was happy to have detractors.

A simple statement

"Should the Police Service Commission or the prime minister have any issue with me or my leadership, then by just a simple statement that there are issues, my professional response would be to step aside and make room for somebody else."

Meanwhile, Lewin listed breaking the back of organised crime, the nexus between crime and politics, a breakdown in community and family values and poor leadership as issues that needed to be addressed if Jamaica were to experience sustained reduction in crime.

"Many of these elements are being tackled by many state agencies on their own, but I am talking about a grand plan that is compiled, packaged, marketed and implemented regardless of the implementing agency," Lewin said.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com,arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com

Major crimes for Sept '09 vs '08