US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON41

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000041 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT) AND INL/LP (KBROWN), DS/IP/WHA, 
DS/IP/ITA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2014 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, KCRM, JM 
SUBJECT: JCF COMMISSIONER FORBES OUT, LUCIUS THOMAS IN 
 
REF: KINGSTON 02801 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Sue M. Cobb for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  On Saturday, January 1, 2005, the Jamaica 
Police Service Commission (PSC) announced that it had 
accepted the resignation of Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) 
Commissioner, Francis Forbes, effective January 19.  The PSC 
communiqu commended Forbes for his accomplishments as 
Commissioner and reported that he would be taking up a 
position with CARICOM as Director in the Project 
Implementation Agency for Crime and Security based in Port of 
Spain.  Forbes, one of the youngest to hold the 
Commissioner's position, served in that capacity for eight 
years but opted for retirement two years earlier than 
expected.  Deputy Commissioner Lucius Thomas will become the 
next JCF Commissioner.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) In what could be considered a surprise announcement on 
New Years Day, the Police Service Commission (PSC) accepted 
the resignation of veteran JCF Commissioner Francis Forbes, 
effective January 19, 2005.  Forbes' rapid rise through the 
JCF ranks made him one of the youngest and longest serving 
commissioners, having joined the force at age 19 in 1970 and 
becoming Commissioner in 1996.  News reports speculated as to 
the timing of the announcement, commenting that his 
resignation was inevitable given the record 2004 murder rate 
and the public pressure for government to do something about 
crime in Jamaica. 
 
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Forbes' Legacy 
-------------- 
 
3. (C) There were 1,469 murders in Jamaica in 2004, 
surpassing the previous year by more than 51 percent. 
Jamaica launched Operation Kingfish in October 2004 (Reftel) 
in an effort to stem the rising rate of gang-related violent 
crime but most of the Kingfish activities centered on 
international narcotics crimes prosecuted by other nations 
off Jamaican shores.  Neither the JCF nor the Ministry of 
National Security (MNS) have won public confidence in the 
ongoing operation and the crime rate has not decreased 
accordingly. There have been several attempts at creating new 
programs and "operations" to deal with the escalating crime, 
all of which have failed. Forbes has not taken responsibility 
for the level of crime in Jamaica, claiming that he was not 
provided with the resources needed to effectively carry out 
programs to combat the problem. 
 
4. (C) Working with the WHA-funded Law Enforcement 
Development Advisor (LEDA) Project, now in its third year, 
Commissioner Forbes had committed to the implementation of a 
JCF regionalization concept effective April 1, 2005, to 
coincide with the Jamaican fiscal year.  However, during a 
private meeting with the LEDA after Forbes' departure 
announcement, Forbes indicated that the regionalization, a 
cornerstone of the restructuring of the JCF, could be cost 
prohibitive.  (Note: The goal of the regionalization concept 
is to bring greater accountability and effectiveness to the 
JCF by breaking the island into four regions with one senior 
officer responsible for each region reporting directly to the 
Commissioner.  Forbes' statement may be the reason he has not 
been more cooperative in implementing this phase of the 
overall reform project.  End note.)  In addition, the 
announcement that three foreign police officers, presumably 
from the UK, would be joining the JCF at the Deputy 
Commissioner level and be operational, leaves unclear the 
direction the JCF is planning to take.  Forbes indicated to 
the LEDA that he was unaware of the role the UK officers 
would play indicating that he has been left out of the 
planning loop. 
 
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Thomas' Initiative 
------------------ 
 
5. (C) Lucius Thomas is the current Deputy Commissioner for 
Crime and is the logical choice among the three current 
deputies.  He will begin his duties as Commissioner on 
January 19.  Although Thomas has lots of operational 
know-how, he lacks management experience.  He will have to 
learn this most important aspect of the new assignment, "on 
the job".  (Comment:  Post believes that Thomas will be 
effective in this position as he has collaborated with Post 
on different initiatives and has proven receptive to USG 
programs and interests.  However, rumors and unsubstantiated 
allegations about Thomas suggest his possible involvement in 
corrupt conduct during his earlier years with the JCF.  The 
allegations were never corroborated.  End Comment.) 
 
6. (C) During a meeting with Poloff in late December, Thomas 
explained that the increase in the murder rate is due in part 
to the increase in guns that come from the U.S.  He alleged 
that 60 percent of the handguns that are on the streets in 
Jamaica come from ports in Miami and New York although he 
noted that there is definitely an increase in weapons coming 
from Haiti.  Thomas implicated extortion and the drug trade 
as also playing a large role but noted that politics continue 
to play a part in the escalating numbers as the 
unavailability of government contracts, poverty, and the lack 
of "political will" in areas such as Clarendon and St. James 
continue to fuel violence. 
 
7. (C) Explaining that the Constabulary Communications 
Network (CCN) is not a public relations entity, Thomas 
claimed that the GOJ must get out the word that "if you are 
not involved, you won't get killed."  He explained that 95 
percent of the individuals that have been victims of homicide 
are in some way related to the drug trade, extortion or some 
other illegal activity. 
 
-------------------------------- 
JCF Corruption is Out of Control 
-------------------------------- 
 
8. (C) Thomas lamented that corruption exists in virtually 
every part of the JCF.  He stated that every illegal 
operation in Jamaica - gangs, drug runners, extortionists, 
etc. have at least two to three JCF officers involved.  He 
noted that it is impossible for the illegal activity to take 
place without JCF assistance.  Poloff inquired as to what was 
hampering the JCF from taking purposeful measures to address 
this, to which Thomas replied that the Commissioner does not 
have the authority to hire and fire.  Effective measures to 
deal with JCF corruption is also complicated by the way the 
law is written and with police union backing for the accused, 
it could take years to have an officer removed.  He also 
noted that no one will come forward as a witness to testify 
against another officer, describing this as a serious 
cultural problem within the JCF.  He claimed that through 
intelligence sharing the JCF is now more capable of building 
a case, however, they are still hampered by ineffective 
policies. 
 
9. (C) Comment: Public reaction to the announcement of Thomas 
as the new Commissioner has been positive.  Thomas will be 
working under a microscope as he takes up the position in the 
wake of the highest murder rate in Jamaican history.  Public 
sentiment underscores this fact with Jamaican citizens 
calling for Thomas to be provided with the resources 
necessary to do the job.  Post will collaborate closely with 
the new Commissioner to urge the JCF to move forward with 
restructuring of the force.  Whether or not Thomas will truly 
be an effective Commissioner remains to be seen; however, 
Post anticipates the presence of the LEDA will provide the 
necessary expertise in the area of management that Thomas is 
lacking.  End Comment. 
COBB