Jamaicans for Justice urges gov't to hold consultations on planned reform of JCF

6:33 pm, Tue May 7, 2019

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Monique Long, Policy and Advocacy Manager of JFJ

Human rights advocacy group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has urged the government to ensure that consultation is held with stakeholders on the announced reform of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang last week announced that the Mobile Reserve Unit is to be disbanded as part of major changes coming for the JCF.

In a news release Tuesday, JFJ called for the reform to be transparent.

JFJ's Policy and Advocacy Manager Monique Long said the changes must result in a modern police service with a "commitment to policing that anticipates and appreciates...the human rights of persons."

Jamaicans for Justice has taken issue with a statement by the police high command that cops charged with murder as well as JCF members who have been removed from front line duty, may still have access to police paraphernalia.

"These particular members of the force ought to have some sort of limits in their power. If it is that there are questions about their integrity, questions about their behaviour, questions about whether or not they ought to have been suspended, surely, they shouldn't have the same unbridled kind of access to police resources that regular law abiding police members have," she argued.