Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin is
stoutly rejecting assertions that the transfer of the Crime Chief for St.
Thomas Inspector Carlos Bell was politically motivated.
On Tuesday the Police High Command was forced to repel arguments of political interference after Inspector Bell was transferred in the wake of a public quarrel with West St. Thomas MP James Robertson.
In his first public statement in the form of a release issued by the Constabulary Communication Network, the Commissioner says he issued instructions for Inspector Bell's temporary transfer within Area 5.
He says the transfer will remain in effect until the Inspector General completes his probe into allegations of misconduct.
Commissioner Lewin says his decision was based on his own professional judgement and took into consideration all the facts available to him.
While accepting that his judgement can always be questioned he said he takes great offence to any suggestions that his decision was based on political interference.
The top cop says he takes allegations of improper conduct on the part of any police officer very seriously but is equally dedicated to the fair and just treatment of personnel accused of wrong doing.
Mr. Lewin says following the investigations the appropriate decisions will be made.
The row between Inspector Bell and Mr. Robertson followed an incident in Heartease on Saturday, in which the parliamentarian is alleged to have verbally abused a team of policemen which went in search of a wanted man.
Mr. Robertson has insisted that the claims are not true.
Meantime, local lobby group- Jamaicans For Justice is backing the Police Commissioner in his decision to reassign Detective Inspector Bell while serious allegations against him, and some officers in his division are being investigated.
According to Executive Director of JFJ, Dr Carolyn Gomes the Commissioner's decision is a move in the right direction.
"We have long been calling for this to be standard procedure it has international law precedent and we have background to these allegations stretching back to December, certainly in our files. So if you are given this background we are really disturbed that allegations or suggestions are made that he is acting because of political interference," she said.
Dr Gomes is also calling for a speedy investigation into the allegations being made against the police.
On Tuesday the Police High Command was forced to repel arguments of political interference after Inspector Bell was transferred in the wake of a public quarrel with West St. Thomas MP James Robertson.
In his first public statement in the form of a release issued by the Constabulary Communication Network, the Commissioner says he issued instructions for Inspector Bell's temporary transfer within Area 5.
He says the transfer will remain in effect until the Inspector General completes his probe into allegations of misconduct.
Commissioner Lewin says his decision was based on his own professional judgement and took into consideration all the facts available to him.
While accepting that his judgement can always be questioned he said he takes great offence to any suggestions that his decision was based on political interference.
The top cop says he takes allegations of improper conduct on the part of any police officer very seriously but is equally dedicated to the fair and just treatment of personnel accused of wrong doing.
Mr. Lewin says following the investigations the appropriate decisions will be made.
The row between Inspector Bell and Mr. Robertson followed an incident in Heartease on Saturday, in which the parliamentarian is alleged to have verbally abused a team of policemen which went in search of a wanted man.
Mr. Robertson has insisted that the claims are not true.
Meantime, local lobby group- Jamaicans For Justice is backing the Police Commissioner in his decision to reassign Detective Inspector Bell while serious allegations against him, and some officers in his division are being investigated.
According to Executive Director of JFJ, Dr Carolyn Gomes the Commissioner's decision is a move in the right direction.
"We have long been calling for this to be standard procedure it has international law precedent and we have background to these allegations stretching back to December, certainly in our files. So if you are given this background we are really disturbed that allegations or suggestions are made that he is acting because of political interference," she said.
Dr Gomes is also calling for a speedy investigation into the allegations being made against the police.